JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

JSON, which stands for JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight data interchange format that has become a fundamental standard for web development and software engineering. Originally popularized by Douglas Crockford in the early 2000s, it was designed to be easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. Although it originated as a subset of the JavaScript programming language, JSON is now a language-independent data format with implementations available in virtually every modern programming environment.

Unlike physical consumer goods, JSON is an open standard and is not manufactured in a specific country. It is maintained as a formal specification (ECMA-404 and RFC 8259) by the global developer community and standards organizations. It serves as the primary way data is transmitted between servers and web applications, replacing older, more verbose formats like XML. Its simplicity and structural efficiency have made it the industry standard for APIs across the globe.