Compare two JSON payloads and see exact differences.
Side-by-side or unified diffs for any two JSON objects or arrays. Toggle key sorting to ignore property order, inspect semantic path changes, and verify equivalence instantly.
01 · How JSON diffing works
Semantic comparison vs textual line diffing.
Comparing two JSON documents as plain text often produces noisy diffs because key insertion order, indentation, and formatting can differ without any real change in data semantics. In valid JSON, key order within an object does not change its meaning.
jsonglow parses both inputs, validates their syntax, and offers automatic deep key sorting. This lets you isolate genuine semantic additions, deletions, and value mutations, whether you view them in a synchronized side-by-side layout, a Git-style unified diff, or an itemized changes table.
02 · Capabilities
Precision diffing built for developers.
Side-by-side split view
Inspect original and modified JSON documents in aligned dual panes with synchronized lines.
Unified diff output
Export or view Git-compatible patches with green additions (+) and red deletions (-).
Ignore key ordering
Deeply sorts object keys so { a: 1, b: 2 } and { b: 2, a: 1 } compare as identical.
Semantic changes table
Filterable table itemizing every modified path, old value, and new value.
Syntax error detection
Pinpoints exact line and column coordinates if either JSON payload contains a syntax error.
100% Client-side privacy
All comparison algorithms run directly in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server.
03 · FAQ
Quick answers.
How does JSON Compare handle key ordering differences?+
By default, 'Ignore Key Order' is enabled, which recursively sorts all object keys before comparing. This prevents false positives caused solely by different key order. You can toggle this off if you need strict key-order checking.
What is the difference between Split View and Unified Diff?+
Split View shows the original JSON on the left with deletions highlighted in red, and the modified JSON on the right with additions in green. Unified Diff consolidates all changes into a single Git-style patch with line-by-line additions and deletions.
Can I inspect exact changed paths in deeply nested structures?+
Yes! Switch to the 'Changes Table' view to see a structured list of every modified path (e.g., config.timeoutMs, endpoints[3]), along with its before and after values.
Is my JSON data uploaded or saved anywhere?+
No. All diffing and parsing operations execute purely client-side inside your browser. No data is ever uploaded, logged, or sent across any network.
Can I copy or download the generated diff?+
Yes. You can click 'Copy Diff' to copy the unified patch to your clipboard or click 'Download .diff' to save it as a local file.
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