Understanding JSON

So… what is JSON?

Let's start simple: JSON is a way to organize data. That's it.

"A way to organize data?" Yes. An Excel spreadsheet is a way to organize data. A CSV file too. JSON is the same idea, just a format that machines use to talk to each other.

The good news: if you can read an Excel table, you can already read JSON. Let's prove it right now.

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A table you already know

Picture a user table in your favorite tool:

You can spot three things here:

• The columns (Name, Email, Plan): the categories of info
• The cells (Alice, alice@acme.com): the actual values
• Each row: one complete user

Keep that in mind. We're about to see the exact same logic in JSON.

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The same table, in JSON

{
  "users": [
    { "name": "Alice", "email": "alice@acme.com", "plan": "Pro" },
    { "name": "Bob", "email": "bob@startup.io", "plan": "Free" }
  ]
}

Same table, different format. Here's the mental translation:

• { } → an object (= one row)
• [ ] → a list (= all the rows)
• "name": "Alice" → column + cell

That's it. You just read JSON.

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Nested objects

Sometimes, a piece of info contains other pieces of info. For example, a user has an address, and an address has a street, a city, etc.

In Excel, you'd end up with awkward columns like Address.Street, Address.City. It works, but it's clunky.

In JSON, it's more natural. You put an object inside an object:

{
  "name": "Alice",
  "email": "alice@acme.com",
  "address": {
    "street": "12 Main St",
    "city": "Paris"
  }
}

address contains a sub-object with its own keys. To find Alice's city, you follow the path: address → city → "Paris".

No code needed. Just follow the structure.

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Mini exercise: find the info

Here's a chunk of JSON that an API might send back:

{
  "user": {
    "id": 8421,
    "name": "Alice",
    "email": "alice@acme.com",
    "plan": "Pro",
    "company": {
      "name": "Acme Corp",
      "seats": 25
    }
  }
}

Try to answer before reading on:

1. What's the user's email?
2. What's their plan?
3. How many seats does their company have?

Answers:

1. user.email → "alice@acme.com"
2. user.plan → "Pro"
3. user.company.seats → 25

If you got those right, you can read JSON. Seriously, that's the skill.

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Key takeaways

• JSON = data organized as a tree (objects containing objects, lists, values)
• { } = an object: think "one row" or "a group of info"
• [ ] = a list: think "multiple rows"
• You don't need to code. Just spot the keys and follow the structure.