How Can I Pretty-Print JSON in PHP?

Pretty-Printing JSON in PHP

When working with large associative arrays, flattening them into JSON can result in lengthy and unreadable outputs. This issue arises when using the conventional json_encode() function without any modifications. To address this, PHP 5.4 introduced a solution through the JSON_PRETTY_PRINT option.

By utilizing this option, you can effectively prettify the encoded JSON output, making it more visually appealing and easier to read. This is particularly beneficial when handling complex data structures. To utilize this feature, simply incorporate the JSON_PRETTY_PRINT constant as a parameter when calling json_encode():

$data = array('a' => 'apple', 'b' => 'banana', 'c' => 'catnip');

$json_string = json_encode($data, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);

echo $json_string;

This will produce the following prettified output:

{
    "a": "apple",
    "b": "banana",
    "c": "catnip"
}

As you can see, the JSON output is now well-formatted and indented, making it significantly easier to read and navigate. This feature greatly enhances the readability and usability of JSON data, especially for development and debugging purposes.

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