JSON to TOON - VS Code Extension

Convert your JSON files to TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) format - an AI-optimized, token-efficient data format that reduces token usage by 30-60% compared to JSON.

What is TOON?

TOON is a modern, compact data format designed for the AI era. It preserves data structure while dramatically reducing token count, making it ideal for:

• Large Language Model (LLM) applications
• AI-powered workflows
• Token-cost optimization
• Data compression for AI contexts

Learn more: TOON vs JSON: A Modern Data Format Showdown

Features

✨ Easy Conversion

• One-click conversion from JSON to TOON format
• Access via Command Palette or right-click context menu
• Automatic output file naming (same name, .toon extension)

✨ Smart Formatting

• Nested objects with proper indentation hierarchy
• Uniform arrays converted to compact tabular format
• Mixed-type arrays handled intelligently
• Deep nesting supported with proper structure preservation

✨ User Experience

• Progress notifications during conversion
• Success confirmations with output filename
• Detailed error messages for troubleshooting
• Converted file automatically opens in editor

✨ Production Ready

• Comprehensive error handling
• JSON validation
• Tested with 14+ unit tests
• Built on modern TypeScript & esbuild

How to Use

Method 1: Command Palette (Recommended)

1. Open your JSON file in VS Code
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS)
3. Type Convert JSON to TOON
4. Press Enter

Method 2: Right-Click Context Menu

1. Open your JSON file in VS Code
2. Right-click on the file in Explorer or Editor
3. Select Convert JSON to TOON

What Happens Next

• Extension validates your JSON
• Shows progress notification
• Converts to TOON format
• Saves as filename.toon in the same directory
• Automatically opens the new file in editor
• Shows success message

Conversion Examples

Example 1: Simple Object

Input (JSON):

{
  "name": "Alice",
  "age": 30,
  "active": true
}

Output (TOON):

name: Alice
age: 30
active: true

Example 2: Nested Objects

Input (JSON):

{
  "user": {
    "id": 1,
    "profile": {
      "age": 30,
      "city": "Bengaluru"
    }
  }
}

Output (TOON):

user:
  id: 1
  profile:
    age: 30
    city: Bengaluru

Example 3: Array of Objects (Tabular Format)

Input (JSON):

{
  "users": [
    {"id": 1, "name": "Alice", "role": "admin"},
    {"id": 2, "name": "Bob", "role": "user"}
  ]
}

Output (TOON):

users:
[2]{id,name,role}:1,Alice,admin
                  2,Bob,user

Example 4: Mixed-Type Array

Input (JSON):

{
  "items": [1, "text", {"key": "value"}]
}

Output (TOON):

items: 1, text, key: value

Example 5: Complex Nested Structure

Input (JSON):

{
  "company": "TechCorp",
  "departments": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "name": "Engineering",
      "members": [
        {"id": 1, "name": "Alice"},
        {"id": 2, "name": "Bob"}
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Output (TOON):

company: TechCorp
departments:
[1]{id,name,members}:1,Engineering,1|Alice|2|Bob

Supported JSON Types

Requirements

• VS Code 1.107.0 or higher
• No additional dependencies required

Known Limitations

• Extension only processes valid JSON files
• Output format follows TOON specification (may not be perfect for all use cases)
• For files with special character handling, review the converted output

Troubleshooting

"Please select a .json file"

• Make sure you're opening a file with .json extension
• Try reopening the file if recently created

"Conversion failed: ..."

• Check that your JSON is valid (use VS Code's JSON formatter)
• Ensure file has proper JSON syntax
• Look at the error message for specific details

File not found or permission denied

• Ensure you have write permissions in the directory
• Check that the file path doesn't contain invalid characters

Performance

The converter processes files extremely fast:

• Small files (< 100KB): < 100ms
• Medium files (100KB - 1MB): < 500ms
• Large files (> 1MB): < 2 seconds

Release Notes

1.0.0

Initial release of JSON to TOON converter extension.

Features:

• Convert JSON files to TOON format via command palette
• Right-click context menu on JSON files
• Progress notifications and error handling
• Automatic file output with same base name
• Comprehensive format support for all JSON types

Feedback & Support

Found a bug? Have a feature request? Please open an issue on the GitHub repository.

License

MIT

Happy Converting! 🎉