# How to parse JSON in JavaScript

## What is JSON?
`JSON`, also known as JavaScript Object Notation, is a text-based data exchange format. It is a collection of key-value pairs with a few rules to keep in mind,

- The `key` must be a string type and enclosed in double-quotes.
- The `value` can be of any type, String, Boolean, Number, Object, Array, and null.
- A colon separates the key-value pair (:).
- Multiple key-value pairs are separated by a comma(,).
- All the key-value pairs must be enclosed within the curly braces({...})
- You can not use comments(like /*...*/ or //...) in JSON.

Alright, with all that, let us see an example of JSON,

```js
{
    "name": "Ravi K",
    "age": 32,
    "city": "Bangalore"
}
```

## How to Parse JSON in JavaScript?

We need to use the `JSON.parse()` method in JavaScript to parse a valid JSON string in a JavaScript Object.

```js
const employee = `{
    "name": "Ravi K",
    "age": 32,
    "city": "Bangalore"
}`;

const employeeObj = JSON.parse(employee);
console.log(employeeObj);
```
The output is a JavaScript Object,

![JS Employee OBJ](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1650513522110/FdtzPP3FW.png?border=1,CCCCCC&auto=compress)

## How to Handle a Parsing Error?
When you parse a JSON text, you are likely to encounter a parsing error like this,

![Parsing Error](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1650513596546/cRQKr15z7.png?border=1,CCCCCC&auto=compress)

It is mainly because the JSON is not a valid one. You must have missed one of the rules we have discussed above. Also, you are likely to forget to enclose the JSON text in a single quote('') or backtick(``) while assigned to a variable in JavaScript.

When you encounter such errors, please validate your JSON with a [JSON Linter](https://jsonlint.com/).

That's all for now. I hope you find this article helpful.

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