How can I pretty-print JSON using node.js?

How to Pretty-Print JSON Using Node.js 😍 🖨️

So, you're trying to read a JSON file, make some changes, and write it back to the same file using Node.js, but the formatting of your JSON gets all messed up? Fret not, my friend! 🤩

The Problem 😫

When you simply write the JSON object back to the file, you lose the original formatting. Instead of your beautifully organized and indented JSON, you end up with a cramped and hard-to-read mess. 😓

The Solution 🙌

Fear not! There's a simple and elegant solution to this pesky problem. 😎

Instead of directly writing the JSON object to the file, we'll leverage the power of two Node.js functions: JSON.stringify() and fs.writeFile().

Here's a quick snippet to help you get started:

const fs = require('fs');

// Your JSON object
const myJsonObject = {
  name: 'test',
  version: '1.1'
}

// Convert JSON object to string with formatting
const formattedJson = JSON.stringify(myJsonObject, null, 2);

// Write the formatted JSON to file
fs.writeFile('path/to/your/file.json', formattedJson, (err) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log('JSON file has been beautifully formatted and written!');
});

Explanation 📚

Let's break down the code above so you can understand what's happening:

1. We first import the fs (file system) module provided by Node.js.

2. We create a JSON object named myJsonObject with your desired changes.

3. Using JSON.stringify(), we convert our JSON object to a string but we pass an additional null, 2 argument. This argument specifies the number of spaces to use for indentation, making our JSON look clean and organized.

4. We then call fs.writeFile() and provide the file path you want to write the formatted JSON to as the first argument, formattedJson as the second argument (our pretty-formatted JSON string), and a callback function as the third argument to handle any potential errors and log a success message.

Now, you'll have a beautifully formatted JSON file that is easy on the eyes, just the way it should be! 😍

Share Your Thoughts! 📢

Have you ever encountered this JSON formatting issue in your Node.js projects? Let me know in the comments below! Feel free to share any other useful tips or tricks you have for dealing with JSON in Node.js too! Let's learn and grow together as a community! 💪

Happy coding! 🚀