Adding Comments to JSON Data: Workarounds and Best Practices

Explore techniques for adding comments to JSON data, addressing the lack of built-in comment support in standard JSON syntax. This tutorial examines common workarounds, such as using extra attributes to store comments, and discusses best practices for documenting and clarifying JSON structures for improved readability and maintainability.

JSON and Comments: A Workaround

JSON's Lack of Comment Support

Standard JSON syntax does not include a way to add comments. Comments are typically used in programming languages to explain code, but JSON's design prioritizes simplicity and efficiency in data exchange. This lack of built-in comments can sometimes make JSON data harder to understand, especially for complex structures.

Workarounds for Adding Comments to JSON

While you can't use standard comment syntax (like // or /* */) in JSON, there are workarounds. One common method is to add extra attributes to store comments within a JSON object. This isn't a standard approach, but it's often used in practice for documentation purposes.

{
  "employee": {
    "name": "Bob",
    "salary": 56000,
    "comments": "He is a nice man"
  }
}

In this example, the comments attribute acts as a placeholder for comments. Although not standard JSON, this technique helps to make the data more readable.