JSON
text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced or ) is an open standard file format and data interchange format that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of name–value pairs and arrays (or other serializable values). It is a commonly used data format with diverse uses in electronic data interchange, including that of web applications with servers.
JSON is a programming language-independent data format. It was derived from JavaScript, but many modern programming languages include code to generate and parse JSON-format data. JSON filenames use the extension .json.
Douglas Crockford originally specified the JSON format in the early 2000s, and sent the first JSON message in April 2001 with Chip Morningstar.
Naming and pronunciation
The 2017 international standard (ECMA-404 and ISO/IEC 21778:2017) specifies that "JSON" is "pronounced , as in 'Jason and The Argonauts'". The first (2013) edition of ECMA-404 did not address the pronunciation. Crockford said in 2011, "There's a lot of argument about how you pronounce that, but I strictly don't care."
Another common pronunciation is .
Standards
After RFC 4627 had been available as its "informational" specification since 2006, JSON was first standardized in 2013, as ECMA-404.
The public source identifies “JSON” as text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around JSON, text-based and standard.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “JSON”, the useful work is to connect “text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2063. The Library of Congress control number is sh2014000515. None of the 5 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2001, 2017, 2013 and 2011.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “JSON”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow JSON primary sources, JSON archive and JSON research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “JSON”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “JSON” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.