OK JSON - Viewer & Formatter 3.1 — Mac version

OK JSON runs on ARM and x86 64-bit Macs, needing macOS 15 or later. It's a native Mac app for picking apart JSON files without the fuss. If you spend your day staring at messy blobs of data, or just need to check a config file now and then, this is a solid tool to keep around. It formats, it searches, and it stays out of your way.

• Built-in JSONPath and jq support for querying data right inside the app.
• A Quick Look extension so you can preview JSON files from the Finder.
• Opens plist files, handy for poking around macOS preference files.
• Saves your viewing history in a local database for a quick path back to recent work.
• Talks to other tools via URL schemes and a Raycast extension.
• Tuned for both Apple Silicon and older Intel Macs.

It's a straightforward viewer and formatter, not a full-blown code editor. The interface keeps things simple—you open a file, it looks readable. The history feature is one of those small touches that saves you digging through folders again.

Pick tree view as your default for drilling into nested objects

The defaults are sensible, but a couple of tweaks make the app feel more your own. Open Preferences and set the default view mode. The tree view gives you collapsible sections for drilling into nested objects. The text view shows the raw formatted JSON, which suits quick copying. Pick whichever matches how you normally work—you can still switch on the fly with a keyboard shortcut.

Switch on Dark Mode in the View menu if you stare at the screen for long stretches. The syntax highlighting follows your system appearance by default, but forcing it to dark in the app’s own settings keeps the contrast consistent even when the rest of macOS runs in light mode.

Check the font size setting too. The default works for most displays, but bumping it up a notch helps on high-resolution screens when you’re squinting at deeply nested brackets.

Paste a messy API response or drag a log dump onto the Dock icon

Drag a messy JSON string straight onto the Dock icon. OK JSON accepts pasted text and dropped files with equal ease, so if someone emails you a log dump or you copy an API response from a browser, just paste it in. No need to save a temporary file first.

Give the Quick Look extension a quick test in Finder. Select any .json file and tap the spacebar. With the extension enabled, you’ll see a properly formatted preview instead of the useless plain-text Quick Look Apple ships. It works on JSON Lines and NDJSON files too, which is a real time-saver when you’re browsing exported data without opening every file.

Try a simple jq filter early on, even if you’re not a command-line regular. Type a dot and a key name—.name or .items[0]—in the jq bar and watch the result appear below. It’s a gentle way to learn jq syntax without leaving the app, and the saved filters feature means you can keep the useful ones around for next time.

The history panel stores every file you open, so if you close something by mistake, hit Window > History and pick it from the list. It’s local-only and private—nothing phones home—so your work stays on your Mac.

• macOS 15 or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel 64-bit Mac