JSON vs XML: Why Modern APIs Choose JSON

In the world of web development, data exchange is crucial. For years, XML (eXtensible Markup Language) was the dominant format. However, in the last decade, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) has taken over.

Why did this shift happen? Let's explore.

1. Simplicity and Readability

JSON is much less verbose than XML.

XML Example:

<user>
  <id>1</id>
  <name>John Doe</name>
  <email>[email protected]</email>
</user>

JSON Example:

{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "John Doe",
  "email": "[email protected]"
}

As you can see, JSON is cleaner and easier to read.

2. Native JavaScript Support

JSON is a subset of JavaScript. This means you can parse it natively in browsers without any external libraries.

const jsonString = '{"name": "John"}';
const user = JSON.parse(jsonString);
console.log(user.name); // John

3. Performance

Because JSON is smaller (less characters), it transmits faster over the network. Parsing JSON is also generally faster than parsing XML in modern browsers.

Conclusion

While XML is still used in some enterprise systems (like SOAP), JSON is the clear winner for modern RESTful APIs and web applications.

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