How to open JSON file?

A JSON refers to the JavaScript Object Notation format used to store simple objects and data structures. Usually, JSON files are backup files, which is used to take backup of data that restored back to the application when needed.

In early days, JSON files was used to transmit the data between server and web applications. But now, JSON files are used for several other purposes. There are several popular websites or search engines that use JSON files. Some are as follows:

• Mozilla Firefox uses JSON files to save bookmark backups.
• Google+ saves profile data using JSON files.
• NoSQL databases like Elasticsearch and MongoDB use it to store unstructured data.
• Several JavaScript applications which are server-based, like node.js, reactJS, etc., uses this file to store the configuration information.

Why use JSON file?

It is a standard type of data interchange format. The users are mostly used it to transmit the data from a web application to a server (to take a backup of the data) and vice-versa from a server to a web server (to restore the data). The JSON files use .json extension similar to the XML file format while saving.

Let's see why should we use JSON files -

• The JSON files are lightweight and take less storage to be stored.
• These files can be usually created and edited by a text editor. These text editors are mostly freely available.
• JSON files are human-readable means the user can read them easily.
• These files can be opened in any simple text editor like Notepad, which is easy to use.
• Almost every programming language supports JSON format because they have libraries and functions to read/write JSON structures.

How to open JSON file on different OS?

JSON files are simple plain text file. Usually, you can open it in any text editor but different operating systems like Windows, iMac, Linux, and MacOS X use different tools or application software to open the JSON file on them. Usually, these are open-source tools so that you don't need to pay anything while using them.

Vim is a file opener software that can be used to open the JSON file on Linux platform. GitHub Atom is a cross-platform tool to open JSON files. Other than these tools, you can use web browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox to open JSON files, which we discuss in detail later.

Below is a list of tools for different operating systems.

Windows tools to open JSON file

Below is a list of tools that can open a JSON file on the Windows platform:

• Notepad
• Notepad++
• Microsoft Notepad
• Microsoft WordPad
• Mozilla Firefox
• File Viewer Plus
• Altova XMLSpy

All these tools run on Window operating system in which some are system software and others can be downloaded from the websites.

Linux tools to open JSON file

There is a list of tools used to open JSON files on the Linux platform:

• Vim
• Pico
• GNU Emacs
• GitHub Atom (Cross-platform)
• Mozilla Firefox, and
• Google Chrome

iMac tools to open JSON file

iMac and MacOS X offer some tools or applications to open a JSON file. Below is a list of these tools:

• MacVim
• Apple TextEdit
• Mozilla Firefox
• Bare Bones Text Wrangler

Advantages of JSON file

Below are some advantages of JSON files -

1. JSON files are computer-readable as well as human-readable. So, both humans and computers can read and write JSON files.
2. JSON format is considered as an independent file format. However, this format was originally based on a subset of JavaScript.
3. Almost every programming language supports JSON format because they have libraries and functions to read/write JSON structures.
4. JSON files are compact.
5. It can easily map with the data structures used by most of the programming languages.

Uses of JSON file

In early days, the main objective of JSON files was the transmission of data between server and web applications. But now, JSON files are used for several other purposes. Below are the advance uses of JSON files -

Data Storing

Most of the NoSQL database engines like MongoDB and Elasticsearch use the JSON structure to store the unstructured data in their database. They store the data in JSON file formats. So, JSON format is a widely used file format now used by the NoSQL database.

File Configurations

Several JavaScript applications that are server-based, like node.js, reactJS, etc., uses this file to store the configuration information.

Application and Notification

Other than storing the unstructured data and configuration information, it also delivers notifications from a web application to a server. It is also used by web applications to download the state of the web application.

Download tools from the internet to open the JSON file

Here are links for downloading the software to open the JSON files:

File Viewer Plus (Windows)

File Viewer Plus (FVP) is open-source software for Windows operating system used to open JSON files. It is widely known as a Universal file opener. You can open, edit, update and save the file in it. It supports more than 300 file formats.

You can download it by clicking on the Download File Viewer Plus.

Price: free

Altova XMLSpy (Windows)

Altova XMLSpy is also a windows software which is used to open JSON file on windows operating system. It is very popular in world-wide for XML and JSON editors. It support several formats such as .xml, .json, .dtd, .xsl, .xsd, .xqy, .rdf, .qx, .qxl, and many more.

Click on the link and download Altova XMLSpy on your system. It is a paid tool, but it offers 30 days free trial to the users.

Price

Professional XML Editor: €439.00 currently

Enterprise XML Editor: €799.00 currently

Notepad++ (Windows)

Notepad++ is an advanced version of Notepad that runs on the Windows operating system. It is usually known as a source code editor, which is used to write the code of programming languages such as HTML, JavaScript, CSS, or Java, etc. This can also be used to open the JSON files. It is a free software tool.

You can download the Notepad++ by clicking on this link on your system without paying any cost.

Price: free

Mozilla Firefox (Cross-platform)

Mozilla Firefox is a web browser that is mostly used to search for information on the internet. It offers many security features like enhanced tracking protection. Mozilla Firefox can also be opened JSON files.

Support file formats: It support various file format such as - .HTML, .XHTML, .JPEG, .JS, .JSON, .CSS, .RSS, .SESSION, .MAFF, .MFL, .JPX, .BAK, .JSP, .URL, and many more.

You can download the latest version of Mozilla Firefox from here Download Mozilla Firefox.

Price: free

Apple TextEdit (Mac)

Apple TextEdit is a software that runs on iMac or Apple operating systems. This software already comes with the Mac Operating system. It supports JSON file format. So, you can edit and save the JSON files in it. Other than this, it also supports .xml and .rtf file formats.

Apart from that, you can also insert audio, video, graphics into the document and convert it into RTFD format. Apple TextEdit is an open-source product this means it is a free tool.

Download the Apple TextEdit by clicking on this link Download Apple TextEdit.

Price: free

MacVim (Mac)

If you are using Mac operating system version OS X 10.6 or above, MacVim is a useful source code editor for programming needs. It provides a graphical interface that is easy to use and write source code more conveniently. MacVim software can also be used to open the JSON files on Mac operating system.

Supported file formats: MacVim supports many file formats along with .json (JSON). These popular supported format are like .JAVA, .XML, .PHP, .JSP, .CSS, .C, .CPP, .PY, .SH, .TXT, .HTML, .JS, .ASPX, .AWK, .BSH, .CONF, .CS, and many more.

Download the MacVim on Mac operating system using the following link Download MacVim.

Remember one thing that "MacVim does not work with OS X version 10.9 Mavricks".

Price: free

Vim (Linux)

Vim is a software tool that runs on a Linux operating system. It can be used to open the JSON files and perform edit, update, and save operations on it. Like the other JSON file openers, it is also an open-source product that is freely available. Vim application can also download on Windows and Mac operating systems.

Vim software is a good choice to open json and other text files for Linux operating systems as it is free and easy to use.

Supported file formats: Vim supports many file formats like .TXT, .A, .CFG, .COMMAND, .CGI, .JSP, .CSS, .C, .CPP, .PY, .CSH, .INC, .PROPERTIES, .HTML, .JS, .ASPX, .YML, .AWK, .BSH, .CONF, .MD, .ML, .RPY, .CS, and many more.

Download the Vim on Linux operating system using the following link Download Vim.

Price: free

File opener for Android (Android)

File opener for Android is an android application that runs and downloads on android operating system. Basically, this application is designed to run on Mobile phones to open the files of different formats. You can also install it on your computer system from the app store. It is a free application to use.

Supported file formats: File opener for Android can display the content of more than 150 file formats. Some supported file formats are - .c, .cs, .css, .cpp, .bsh, .mk, .nim, .pl, .sql, .xml, .vb, .json, .js, .ini, .java, .htaccess, .dart, .graddle, .coffee, etc.

Download the File opener for Android directly using this link.

Price: free

Common steps to open JSON files for all OS

1. Open the JSON file opener tool or application on your system from the location where it is installed.
2. Navigate to the File menu in menu bar and click on Open in the dropdown list.
3. A window will open up where you need to move to the directory/folder location where your JSON file is stored.
4. Do not forget to change the file type from Text Document (*.txt) to All Files.
5. Now, choose the JSON file to open it to perform the read, write, or update operations.
6. JSON file will be opened up to you in reading mode.

Steps to open JSON files on Web browser (Chrome, Mozilla)

1. Open the Web store on your web browser using the apps option menu or directly using this link.
2. Here, type JSON View in search bar under the Extensions category.
3. You will get the various extensions similar to JSON View to open the JSON format files.
   
4. From these multiple extension options, choose 'JSONView' extension and add it to your browser by clicking on Add to Chrome
   
5. It will ask for confirmation by open up a popup box.
   
6. Click on the Add Once the extension is added to the browser, restart the browser to enable and use the extension.
7. Open the JSONView Extension from the browser and mark the Allow access to file URLs to allow access to JSON and other files by this extension.
8. After setting up all the settings, go to that folder where JSON files are stored in your system.
9. Right-click to the selected JSON file and select the Properties to change the application to open the file.
10. Here, change the Open with: from other applications like Photo Viewer or Notepad to Google Chrome by choosing from the Change dropdown list.
    
11. After choosing the browser to open the JSON file, click on the OK and close the window.
12. Now, double-click on the JSON file to open it with the JSONView extension added in the web browser.

Your JSON files will now open in your browser where you can read the data inside them.