---
title: "jsonFormat"
description: "Takes a string, and returns a prettyprints string"
---

# jsonFormat

> Takes a string, and returns a prettyprints string

**This function is used by Ignition's Expression language.**

## Description
Takes a string and returns a prettyprints string, making the string easier to read by humans. Especially useful in cases where the string is displayed on components that respect carriage returns.

The image below shows a Label component with a JSON-friendly string. Below that are two Text Area components that are bound to the Label's text: one using the jsonFormat() function and the other without.

![](jsonformat_example.png)

## Syntax
` jsonFormat(string)`

### Parameters

| Type | Parameter | Description |
|---|---|---|
| String | `string` | The string to format. The string must be in a JSON-friendly format; see examples below for possibilities. |

### Results
**String** - A prettyprint string of the specified string.

## Examples
```python title="Code Snippet"
// This example builds a JSON friendly string, and returns a prettyprint version of the string.
// Since the parameter passed is a string data type, the whole parameter must be wrapped in quotes.
jsonFormat("{item1:10,item2:20}")
```
```python title="Code Snippet"
// Another valid JSON format - you may optionally wrap inner strings in quotation marks.
jsonFormat("[{'item1':'apples','item2':'bananas'},{'item1':'oranges','item2':'carrots'}]")
```