Mastering Error Handling During JSON Parsing & Stringification in JavaScript

Tips, tricks, and best practices for working with JSON in real-world projects

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Working with JSON data is common practice among frontend and backend developers alike. Serializing and deserializing objects has never been easier thanks to built-in JavaScript methods like JSON.stringify() and JSON.parse().

However, understanding how to handle errors effectively when dealing with JSON remains essential for creating stable, resilient applications. This comprehensive guide covers various aspects of handling errors during JSON parsing and stringification processes.

Understanding JSON Parse Errors

When trying to convert an invalid JSON string into a JavaScript object, the JSON.parse() function throws a SyntaxError. To demonstrate this concept, let's look at some incorrect JSON strings and observe what happens when they get passed through the parser:

// Missing closing bracket
const brokenJsonStringMissingClosingBracket = '{ "foo": "bar"; }';

try {
  JSON.parse(brokenJsonStringMissingClosingBracket);
} catch (err) {
  console.error(err);
}
/* Output: SyntaxError: Unexpected token ; in JSON at position 9 */

// Extra comma
const…