JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It is a lightweight, text-based format designed for data interchange between systems. Because it is easy for both humans and machines to read and write, JSON has become a standard for exchanging data in web applications. Its simple structure and language independence make it widely used in web development, especially when working with APIs and storing or transferring data between a client and a server.

The JSON object shown above demonstrates several important syntax rules. Data is organized as key-value pairs, where each key is a string (such as "name" or "age"), and each value can be a string, number, boolean, array, object, or null. In JSON, all keys must be enclosed in double quotes. Values are separated from their keys by a colon, and pairs are separated by commas. This strict structure helps ensure consistency and compatibility across different programming environments.