Does key order count as a difference?

No. JSON objects are unordered by specification, so `{"a":1,"b":2}` and `{"b":2,"a":1}` are reported as identical. Arrays are different — order is part of an array's meaning, so it is respected unless you switch on “ignore array order”.

What does “ignore array order” actually do?

It sorts arrays whose members are all simple values — numbers, strings, booleans — before comparing, so `[1,2]` and `[2,1]` match. Arrays containing objects are left alone, because sorting them would need a rule for which key to sort on, and any rule chosen here would be wrong for somebody.

Is my data uploaded to compare it?

No. Both documents are parsed and compared by JavaScript in this page, so nothing is sent anywhere. That matters for the usual reason people reach for a JSON diff — the two documents are often API responses containing real customer data.

JSON Compare

Paste two JSON documents and see precisely what differs between them. A normal line diff is close to useless on JSON, because reformatting or a different key order rewrites every line without changing a single value. This compares the parsed data instead and reports differences by path — so you get `~ user.address.city: "Leeds" → "York"` rather than “lines 4 to 19 changed”.

Your text

Second JSON

Ignore array order

Sorts arrays of primitives before comparing, so [1,2] and [2,1] match. Arrays of objects are left alone.

Result

Nothing is uploaded — this tool runs inside your browser, so your files never leave your device.

Help us improve

Why use this tool

Compares values, not text — key order and indentation are ignored
Reports every difference by its full path from the root
Optionally ignores the order of arrays of simple values
Names the line and column when either document fails to parse

How it works

1Paste the first JSON document on the left.
2Paste the version you want to compare into the second box.
3Read the differences: ~ changed, + only in the second, - only in the first.

JSON Compare — frequently asked questions

Because JSON has no meaningful line structure. The same object written by two different libraries can differ on every line — different indentation, different key order, different escaping — while holding identical data. A path-based comparison answers the question you actually have, which is what changed in the data.

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