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Practical guides to working with JSON and XML — opening files, fixing the errors that actually come up, and knowing which format to reach for.
JSON Working with JSON
How to open a JSON file (and why double-clicking does nothing)
You downloaded a .json file, double-clicked it, and either nothing happened or Notepad showed you one endless line. Here is what is actually going on and how to read it properly on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Read the guideJSON vs XML: which one I actually reach for, and why
Not a spec comparison. The three questions I ask when choosing between them, why XML is not dead, and the one JSON limitation that catches people out in production.
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XML Working with XML
How to open an XML file without breaking it
Opening an XML file is easy. Opening it in something that will not quietly corrupt it is the part nobody warns you about. Here is what to use on each platform, and the two apps to keep away from it.
Read the guideWhat is an XML file, really — from someone who maintained one for six years
Most explanations of XML describe the syntax and stop. Here is what XML is actually for, why it looks the way it does, and the parts juniors trip on — attributes, namespaces, and schemas.
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