JSON vs XML – Which Data Format is Better?
2026-03-12
JSON and XML are two common formats used to exchange data between systems. JSON is lightweight and easier to read compared to XML. It uses key-value pairs and is widely used in modern APIs and web applications. XML, on the other hand, uses tags and attributes and is often used in legacy systems and enterprise integrations. Most modern REST APIs prefer JSON because it is faster to parse, smaller in size, and easier for developers to work with. Both formats are useful depending on the use case, but JSON has become the standard format for most web services today.