JSON Basics
What are the disadvantages of using JSON?
While JSON is excellent for data interchange, it has limitations. JSON lacks native support for dates—they must be represented as strings requiring parsing. It does not support comments, making configuration files less self-documenting than alternatives like YAML. JSON has no built-in data validation—you need JSON Schema separately. The format does not support references, causing data duplication in complex structures. Binary data must be base64 encoded, increasing size. JSON parsing can be slower than binary formats for very large datasets. It offers no namespace support for avoiding naming conflicts. JSON does not preserve data types like integers versus floats—all numbers are the same. There is no standard way to represent circular references. Despite these limitations, JSON remains the best choice for most web APIs and configuration needs due to its simplicity, readability, and universal support. Use our JSON tools at jsonconsole.com for efficient JSON handling.
Last updated: December 23, 2025
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