Does an online JSON formatter upload my data
Bottom line: You do not need to read a privacy policy to find out. Open the network panel, try the page offline, and refresh to see whether anything persisted. Two minutes, three checks, no trust required.
Bottom line: check the network panel for a POST with a request body, rerun the formatter offline, then refresh to see whether anything persisted; if all three pass, the data never left the browser.
Maybe. You can settle it yourself in two minutes.
Three checks
1. Watch the network panel. Open DevTools → Network → filter Fetch/XHR, then paste JSON and format it. A POST with a request body means your data was sent. Static assets only means local processing.
2. Go offline. Switch DevTools to Offline, reload, paste, format. If it works, the parsing logic is in the page. If it hangs or errors, it needs a server.
3. Refresh. If the content clears and Local Storage and IndexedDB hold nothing, there is no persistence. Note that a "history" feature stored in the browser is local — not uploaded, but still needs clearing on a shared machine.
Why it matters
JSON routinely contains:
- Connection strings, access keys, tokens
- Phone numbers, ID numbers, addresses
- Complete internal API responses
- Undisclosed data models
Uploading any of that hands it to a third party. Most tools claim they do not log requests; you cannot verify a claim, but you can verify a network panel.
How this site works
The JSON tools on bbdrug.com are a static site, pre-rendered at build time. Parsing, formatting, minifying and converting all happen in the browser, and no request carrying your data is made.
- Nothing reaches a server, because there is no endpoint that accepts data
- History lives in browser storage and can be cleared at any time
- Works offline once the page has loaded
For stronger guarantees, use a local client or the command line: the desktop app and the editor and CLI toolchain never touch the network.
General advice
| Data | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Public examples, anonymised data | Any online tool |
| Tokens and keys | Replace with xxx before pasting |
| Personal data | Local tool, and clear history afterwards |
| Full production payloads | Local processing only |
Replacing sensitive values before pasting is cheaper than cleaning up afterwards.
FAQ
What should I check first in the network panel?
Open DevTools → Network, filter Fetch/XHR, paste JSON and format it. A POST with a request body means the data was sent; static assets only means processing stayed local.
Why does offline formatting prove local processing?
If the page still formats after DevTools is switched to Offline, the parsing logic runs in the browser rather than on a server. The page itself must already be loaded, because loading still needs the network.
How should I handle JSON that contains tokens?
Replace sensitive values with xxx before pasting, or use a local client and command line. History stored in the browser is local and not uploaded, but it still needs clearing on a shared machine.