What is JSON flattening?

JSON flattening is the process of converting nested JSON objects into a single-level structure where complex hierarchies are represented using dot-notation or similar path-based keys. For example, {"user": {"name": "John"}} becomes {"user.name": "John"}. This transformation makes it easier to work with deeply nested data in databases, spreadsheets, or systems that don't handle complex hierarchies well. Unflattening reverses this process, rebuilding the original nested structure from the flat key-value pairs.

Tool Description

This tool converts JSON data between nested and flat formats using the popular flat library. It can flatten deeply nested JSON objects into simple key-value pairs with dot-notation keys, or unflatten flat structures back into their original nested form. The tool preserves data integrity and handles complex nested structures, arrays, and various data types.

Features

  • Bidirectional conversion: Flatten nested JSON or unflatten flat JSON
  • Automatic parsing: Intelligently handles nested objects and arrays
  • Dot notation: Uses standard dot notation for key paths (e.g., user.address.city)