# JSON5

15 Hacker News commenters recommended JSON5 and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Adds comments, trailing commas and other conveniences to JSON while staying easy to write by hand. Caveat: most people find it unfamiliar and prefer plain JSON.

## Why people recommend it

- Allows comments and trailing commas (3 comments): "JSON5 (as used in e.g. VSCode) allows for comments, trailing commas and other creature comforts." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46728939)) "It fixes so many of JSONs shortcomings like comments." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48422048)) "notable mention for JSON5 which supports comments!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47782688))
- Fixes JSON's shortcomings (2 comments): "It fixes so many of JSONs shortcomings like comments." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48422048)) "it solves all the issues with normal json" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49540872))
- Less restrictive than JSON (2 comments): "it solves all the issues with normal json" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49540872)) "which greatly reduces the restrictions" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46471603))
- Preferred over plain JSON (3 comments): "I really feel JSON5 should just be the default standard" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48427668)) "They could have just adopted json5 by the looks of it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49578212)) "JSON5 is a much better choice." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45958461))

## What people warn about

- Unfamiliar; most people prefer JSON (1 comments): "it's weird and unfamiliar, most people prefer plain JSON" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47151890))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [TOON](https://hackerapproved.com/p/toon.md): 13 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "JSON5", https://hackerapproved.com/p/json5/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).