JSON, which stands for JavaScript Object Notation, serves as a compact format for data exchange. Its simplicity makes it accessible for human comprehension and straightforward for machines to interpret and create. Derived from a portion of the JavaScript Programming Language Standard ECMA-262 3rd Edition from December 1999, JSON is a text-based format that remains entirely independent of any specific programming language while employing familiar conventions found in C-family languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, and Python. This versatility positions JSON as an exceptional choice for data interchange.
The structure of JSON is founded on two primary components:
1. A set of name/value pairs, which can be represented in different programming languages as objects, records, structs, dictionaries, hash tables, keyed lists, or associative arrays.
2. An ordered sequence of values, typically manifested in most languages as arrays, vectors, lists, or sequences.
These fundamental structures are universally recognized, and nearly all contemporary programming languages incorporate them in some capacity, further enhancing the utility and appeal of JSON as a data format.