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Extract JSON Keys

Extract every key from a JSON object instantly: unique key names, full dot paths, sorted or as-encountered, as a list, JSON array or CSV. Ideal for schema discovery and docs.

JSON Input
Waiting for input
Keys
Key names give you the document's vocabulary; dot paths give you the map of where every field lives. Use sorted+unique for a clean, diffable inventory.

About Extract JSON Keys

Facing a JSON document you have never seen is like walking into a building at night: you know there are rooms, but you cannot tell how many or where until the lights come on. Reading the raw text works, but the shape of the data — its vocabulary of keys, its depth, where arrays repeat — hides behind the syntax. For a third-party API response, a log export or a config dump, you need the map, not the text.

Extract JSON Keys produces that map in one click. It walks the entire document and lists every key, either as a deduplicated vocabulary of field names or as full dot paths that show exactly where each field lives. Sort alphabetically or keep encounter order, include array indices when positions matter, and export as one-per-line, a JSON array, or CSV for a spreadsheet. Counts are reported live, everything runs in your browser, and the output feeds straight into schema documentation, mapping work or quick comprehension.

Features

  • Key-name mode: The document's field vocabulary, deduplicated, ready to scan.
  • Dot-path mode: Full paths like customer.address.city for every field, showing exactly where values live.
  • Unique toggle: Collapse repeated keys into single entries.
  • Sorted or as-encountered: Alphabetical order for scanning, encounter order for structure.
  • Array index control: Skip indices for clean output, or include them for exact paths.
  • Three export formats: One per line, JSON array, or comma-separated for spreadsheets.
  • Live counts: Distinct keys or total paths reported as you edit.
  • Copy and download: One click to clipboard or a .txt file.
  • Private: All processing is client-side; nothing is uploaded.

How to Use

  1. Paste your JSON into the input pane.
  2. Choose the mode: key names for a vocabulary, dot paths for a full map of where fields live.
  3. Set the options: unique, sorted, and whether array indices appear in paths.
  4. Pick the output format — one per line, JSON array or comma-separated.
  5. Copy or download the result, or read the live counts to gauge the document's size.

Examples

Example 1 — Documenting a vendor API. A payment provider ships an undocumented webhook. Extract keys in path mode: a full map of the payload — event.id, event.amount.currency, merchant.settings.threshold — appears immediately and becomes the basis of the internal docs.

Example 2 — Comparing two payload shapes. Before and after an API migration, extract both key sets, sort them, and diff the lists. The key names that disappeared or appeared are exactly the migration risk.

Example 3 — Naming convention audit. An integration team extracts key names in unique, sorted mode. snake_case keys sit next to camelCase keys, and the inconsistency that caused two bugs becomes visible at a glance.

Example 4 — Building a test matrix. From a large order payload, extract paths with array indices to see every position a nested object occupies — then generate test data that covers each branch.

Benefits

  • Understand unknown payloads in seconds: The key inventory is the fastest possible map of an unfamiliar document.
  • Spot inconsistencies on sight: Naming mixes, duplicated concepts and missing fields become obvious in a sorted list.
  • Feed documentation and tests: Paths and vocabularies drop straight into docs, mapping configs and test matrices.
  • Diff-friendly output: Sorted lists compare cleanly between versions of an API.
  • Safe for sensitive data: Keys, not values, means schema discovery without exposing payload contents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would I need a list of JSON keys?
When a payload arrives from an API you do not own, the fastest way to understand it is to see its shape: which fields exist, how deep the nesting goes, and where arrays repeat. A flat list of keys — or full dot paths — turns an unknown document into an inventory you can scan, compare against a schema, or paste into documentation.
What is the difference between key names and dot paths?
Key names mode lists each field name once, like a dictionary of the document's vocabulary — perfect for spotting naming conventions. Dot paths mode walks every branch and outputs paths like customer.address.city, revealing where each field lives, including every array index. Use paths for mapping, names for vocabulary.
Do array indices appear in the output?
Only if you enable the option. By default arrays contribute their element keys once and the indices themselves are skipped, so the output stays clean. With array indices on, every occurrence becomes its own path — verbose but exact, which is useful when positions matter.
What does unique mode do?
Unique mode collapses repeated keys into a single entry: if ten customer objects all have an email field, you see email once. Sorted mode additionally orders the result alphabetically. The two are usually combined for a clean vocabulary of the document.
Which output formats are supported?
One per line (best for scanning), a JSON array (best for passing to scripts), and comma-separated (best for spreadsheets). Counts are shown in the status line, so you know how many distinct keys or paths the document contains.
Is my JSON uploaded anywhere?
No. Extraction happens entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored or logged.