How Can I Make JSON Output More Readable in PHP?

Beautifying JSON Output in PHP

When working with JSON data in PHP, it can be desirable to format the output for readability. The standard json_encode() function produces a flat, one-line string, which can be inconvenient to parse visually. This article explores a technique to prettify JSON output using PHP's built-in functionality.

The json_encode() function accepts an optional second parameter that controls the formatting of the output. By passing JSON_PRETTY_PRINT as the value, you can instruct the function to create a nicely indented JSON string.

For instance, the code below demonstrates the difference between regular and pretty-printed JSON output:

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

// Regular JSON output
echo json_encode($data);

// Pretty-printed JSON output
echo json_encode($data, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);

The first statement will produce the following result:

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

In contrast, the second statement will generate:

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

As you can see, the pretty-printed output is much easier to read and understand. This feature is especially useful when dealing with large or complex JSON datasets.

Therefore, if you want to generate human-readable JSON output in PHP, simply add the JSON_PRETTY_PRINT flag to your json_encode() call.

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