# JSON Key Extractor

Extract all keys from JSON objects with multiple output formats. Perfect for analyzing JSON structure, documentation generation, and understanding complex nested objects.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/json-key-extractor

- **Category:** Data Processing

- **Keywords:** json, keys, extract, structure, parse, nested, object, properties

## Overview

The JSON Key Extractor is a powerful utility designed to parse complex JSON data and retrieve a comprehensive list of all keys. Whether you are documenting an API response, analyzing deep object structures, or debugging nested data, this tool provides flexible output formats to help you visualize and manage your JSON properties efficiently.

## Inputs

- **JSON Input** (textarea): Enter your JSON data...
- **Output Format** (select)
- **Flatten Nested Keys** (checkbox): Convert nested keys to dot notation (e.g., "user.profile.name")
- **Include Data Types** (checkbox): Include the data type of each key (string, number, boolean, object, array, null)
- **Include Full Path** (checkbox): Include the full path to each key in nested objects
- **Sort Keys By** (select)
- **Remove Duplicate Keys** (checkbox): Remove duplicate keys when they appear in multiple locations
- **Maximum Depth** (number): Enter maximum nesting depth (1-20)

## When to use

- When you need to generate documentation for an API response or a large configuration file.
- When you are debugging deeply nested JSON objects and need to map out the available properties.
- When you need to compare the structures of two different JSON files by extracting their key sets.

## How it works

- Paste your raw JSON data into the input field.
- Select your preferred output format, such as a simple list, JSON array, or a hierarchical tree.
- Toggle options like 'Flatten Nested Keys' or 'Include Data Types' to customize the level of detail in your output.
- Click process to generate the extracted key map based on your selected configuration.

## Use cases

- Generating schema documentation for frontend developers based on backend API responses.
- Cleaning up large, undocumented configuration files by identifying all active keys.
- Standardizing data structures by extracting and comparing key sets across multiple JSON objects.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can this tool handle deeply nested JSON?

Yes, you can adjust the 'Maximum Depth' setting up to 20 levels to ensure all nested keys are captured.

### What output formats are supported?

You can export the extracted keys as a simple list, a JSON array, a Markdown table, or a hierarchical tree structure.

### Does the tool support dot notation for nested keys?

Yes, by enabling the 'Flatten Nested Keys' option, the tool will convert nested paths into dot notation (e.g., user.profile.name).

### Can I see the data type of each key?

Yes, enable the 'Include Data Types' checkbox to see whether a key corresponds to a string, number, boolean, object, or array.

### Is my JSON data stored on your servers?

No, all processing is performed locally in your browser to ensure your data remains private and secure.

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## Samples

- [JSON Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/json): JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format examples from simple to complex structures
- [Chat Transcript JSON Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/chat-transcript-json): JSON examples for multi-role chat transcripts
- [Rich Media JSON Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/rich-media-json): JSON examples for popular rich text editors (TipTap, Quill, Slate)
- [Terraform Plan JSON Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/terraform-plan-json-samples): Sample Terraform plan JSON files exported from terraform show -json style payloads for dependency visualization and change review