Skip to content
Tech News
← Back to articles

JSON formatter Chrome plugin now closed and injecting adware

read original get JSON Formatter Chrome Extension → more articles
Why This Matters

The discontinuation of the JSON Formatter Chrome extension highlights the challenges of maintaining open-source tools amid shifting business models, while also raising concerns about adware injection and user security. Consumers and developers should be cautious when relying on browser extensions, especially those transitioning to closed-source or commercial versions.

Key Takeaways

ARCHIVED I am no longer developing JSON Formatter as an open source project. I'm moving to a closed-source, commercial model in order to build a more comprehensive API-browsing tool with premium features. I know some users (especially here on GitHub) will always prefer open source tools, so I’m leaving this repo online for others to use/fork, and I’ve published the final open source version as JSON Formatter Classic – you can switch to that if you just want a simple, open source, local-only JSON-formatting extension that won't receive updates.

JSON Formatter

Chrome extension that helps you view and explore JSON API responses.

Features

Fast , even on very long JSON pages

, even on very long JSON pages Dark mode

Syntax highlighting

Collapsible trees, with indent guides

Clickable URLs

Negligible performance impact on non-JSON pages (less than 1 millisecond)

... continue reading