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A free app from GitHub that allows the user to view JSON files on their computer

A free app from GitHub that allows the user to view JSON files on their computer

Vote: (4 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: tulios

Version: 0.18.1

Works under: Windows

Also available for Android

Vote:

Program license

(4 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

tulios

0.18.1

Works under:

Also available for

Windows

Android

Pros

  • Collapsible node support
  • Clickable URLs
  • Highlight toggle button
  • Attractive color schemes

Cons

  • Have to enable local file loading manually
  • Find function slows down when working with large files

JSON Viewer is a browser extension that makes it easier for users to read text encoded in the JavaScript Object Notation format. This data structure is most often used to transfer information between different web applications, which means that developers and power users will run into it on a daily basis. While most modern browsers can display JSON files as plain text, they lack any sort of detailed formatting.

Reading monotonous monochrome text can make it difficult to follow the general flow of a database, which can be disastrous when trying to find a specific set of digits. JSON Viewer highlights various types of data so you can tell them apart from one another. This also makes it easier to code or edit JSON files by hand, since the values will all be separately color-coded for your own convenience.

Power users are free to set custom colors and manipulate the rules used to highlight files. Those who'd rather set a single theme are able to color-code everything with one click. Each of the included themes are based on those you'd normally see in terminal programs and IDE apps, so they should look good to the overwhelming majority of people who'd want to use this kind of software.

Once you're done configuring the interface, JSON Viewer actually allows you to manipulate values. In spite of its name, the application is also a complete editor with all of the features that you'd expect from one. You'll be treated to a collapsible node system as well as a highlight toggle button, which can help reduce the amount of lag whenever you're working with a larger file.

While the app includes a find function, this too is limited in some ways by lag. You can use CTRL+F or F3 to activate the finder, but you'll sometimes have to wait for the extension to parse through long lines of text. Considering the fact that JSON Viewer is tied to your browser's underlying rendering engine, it could be forgiven for this problem because it really isn't the app's fault. However, it is something to keep in mind because JSON Viewer is really nothing more than a very sophisticated browser extension.

Fortunately, it should work with a variety of different browsers that work with machines running Windows 7 and up. Those who have a vanilla install of Google Chrome shouldn't have any difficulty getting it to run. Since Microsoft Edge now uses much of the same code as Chrome, it should work equally as well with that browser. Perhaps most important for developers is the fact that it's compatible with the open-source Chromium browser, even if you're running it inside of a default installation of Windows.

As soon as you've finished editing a JSON document, the viewer allows you to save it. While some users might label this feature creep, it's a rare example of that phenomenon proving rather helpful. It can be challenging to manipulate local files, but taking a few minutes after you install the application to configure it will make your experience go much more smoothly.

Since JSON documents are used by a number of online games to save progress and statistics, this extension might even prove useful to those who wouldn't normally need a way to view them.

Pros

  • Collapsible node support
  • Clickable URLs
  • Highlight toggle button
  • Attractive color schemes

Cons

  • Have to enable local file loading manually
  • Find function slows down when working with large files