JSONToTable

TOON JSON: The Token-Efficient Data Format

Convert between JSON and TOON format to reduce token usage by 50% for LLM applications

Convert JSON to TOON →Convert TOON to JSON →

What is TOON JSON?

TOON JSON refers to the relationship between TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) and standard JSON format. TOON is a data format that represents the same information as JSON but uses approximately 50% fewer tokens, making it perfect for AI applications where every token counts—and costs money.

Why TOON Matters for LLM Applications

50%

Less Tokens

Half the token count compared to JSON

50%

Lower Costs

Reduce your API bills significantly

2x

More Data

Fit twice as much in your prompts

JSON vs TOON: See the Difference

Here's the same customer data in both formats. Notice how much more compact TOON is:

Standard JSON

245 tokens
{
  "customers": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Sarah Mitchell",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "plan": "Premium"
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "name": "Michael Chen",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "plan": "Basic"
    },
    {
      "id": 3,
      "name": "Jennifer Kumar",
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "plan": "Enterprise"
    }
  ]
}

Problem: Field names repeated 12 times! Wastes tokens on every record.

TOON Format

122 tokens - 50% savings!
customers[3]{id,name,email,plan}:
  1,Sarah Mitchell,[email protected],Premium
  2,Michael Chen,[email protected],Basic
  3,Jennifer Kumar,[email protected],Enterprise

Solution: Field names listed once, then just values. Simple and efficient!

Token Savings at Scale

RecordsJSON TokensTOON TokensSavings
10816 tokens408 tokens408 saved (50%)
504,080 tokens2,040 tokens2,040 saved (50%)
1008,160 tokens4,080 tokens4,080 saved (50%)
1,00081,600 tokens40,800 tokens40,800 saved (50%)

Note: Larger datasets = bigger savings. With 1,000 records, you save over 40,000 tokens per API call!

Free TOON JSON Conversion Tools

JSON to TOON Converter

Transform your JSON data into token-efficient TOON format. Perfect for reducing LLM API costs.

Features:

  • •Instant conversion with validation
  • •Real-time token count comparison
  • •Choose delimiter (comma, tab, pipe)
  • •Download or copy results
Convert JSON to TOON →

TOON to JSON Converter

Convert TOON format back to standard JSON with zero data loss. Fully reversible conversion.

Features:

  • •Lossless conversion
  • •Error detection & validation
  • •Preserves all data types
  • •Browser-based, secure
Convert TOON to JSON →

When Should You Use TOON vs JSON?

Use TOON Format When

  • •
    Working with LLMs

    GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, or any token-based AI models

  • •
    Large Dataset Prompts

    Customer data, logs, analytics with 50+ records

  • •
    API Cost Optimization

    High-volume applications where token costs add up

  • •
    Context Window Limits

    Need to fit more data within token limits

  • •
    RAG Systems

    Retrieval-augmented generation applications

Keep Using JSON For

  • •
    Web APIs

    REST APIs, GraphQL, traditional backends

  • •
    Browser Applications

    Frontend JavaScript, React, Vue, Angular apps

  • •
    Database Storage

    MongoDB, PostgreSQL, MySQL JSON columns

  • •
    Configuration Files

    App configs, package.json, settings

  • •
    Third-party Integrations

    When external systems expect JSON

Recommended Approach: Use Both

Many successful applications use JSON everywhere except when talking to LLMs. Convert to TOON right before sending to AI models, then convert responses back to JSON. This gives you the best of both worlds!

Complete TOON Toolkit

Everything you need to work with TOON format:

JSON to TOON

Convert JSON to token-efficient TOON

TOON to JSON

Convert TOON back to standard JSON

TOON Validator

Validate TOON syntax and structure

TOON Formatter

Format TOON for readability

TOON Minifier

Compress TOON data further

TOON Viewer

Visualize TOON data structure

CSV to TOON

Convert CSV spreadsheets to TOON

YAML to TOON

Convert YAML configs to TOON

TOON to Table

Display TOON as HTML tables

Frequently Asked Questions

What is TOON JSON format?

TOON JSON refers to using TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) as an alternative to JSON for LLM applications. TOON represents the same data as JSON but uses 50% fewer tokens by listing field names once instead of repeating them for every object. Learn more at the official TOON repository.

How much can I save by using TOON instead of JSON?

TOON typically reduces token usage by 40-50% compared to JSON. For example, if your JSON uses 10,000 tokens, TOON will use about 5,000 tokens. At GPT-4 prices ($0.03 per 1K tokens), that's a savings of $150 per million tokens processed.

Can I convert TOON back to JSON without losing data?

Yes! TOON is fully reversible. You can convert JSON→TOON→JSON with zero data loss. All data types, structure, and values are preserved. Use our TOON to JSON converter for instant conversion.

Do AI models like GPT-4 and Claude understand TOON format?

Yes! TOON is designed to be self-documenting. The format includes explicit length markers [N] and field headers {field1,field2} that AI models parse naturally. The structure is intuitive and requires no special instructions.

Is TOON JSON free to use?

Yes! All our TOON converters and tools are completely free with unlimited usage. No registration required. TOON format itself is open source. Check out our TOON guides to learn more.

How do I get started with TOON format?

Start by converting some of your existing JSON data using our JSON to TOON converter. You'll immediately see the token savings. Then validate your TOON with the TOON Validator and test it with your AI model. Read our complete TOON guide for more details.

Learn More About TOON

Beginner Guides

Technical Tutorials

View All TOON Guides →

Related Tools

JSON to TOON

Convert JSON to TOON format - 50% fewer tokens for LLM prompts

TOON to JSON

Convert TOON format back to JSON with validation

TOON to Table

Convert TOON format to HTML tables for easy visualization

TOON Formatter

Format and beautify TOON data with custom delimiters and options

CSV to TOON

Convert CSV data to TOON format for optimized LLM prompts

TOON to CSV

Convert TOON format to CSV for spreadsheets and data analysis