History of JSON - potatoscript/json GitHub Wiki

Once upon a time, there were computers talking to each other using languages that were sometimes very hard to understand. It was like if one computer spoke French 🇫🇷 and another spoke Chinese 🇨🇳 — it was difficult for them to understand each other!

Then came JSON, a new hero that made it much easier for computers to talk in a common language. 🌟

Before JSON, there were XML and HTML. These were two popular ways for computers to share information. But, just like speaking two different languages, these ways were a bit complicated and heavy to use. 🏋️‍♂️

For example, XML was like a long letter with a lot of extra information that wasn’t always needed. It looked something like this:

<student>
    <name>Lucy</name>
    <age>10</age>
    <favoriteColor>Blue</favoriteColor>
</student>

While XML worked, it was kind of bulky and hard to read. 📚 It wasn’t very friendly for computers to send information quickly. Computers wanted a way that was faster and easier to use. 💨

In 2001, a man named Douglas Crockford (imagine him as a computer wizard 🧙‍♂️) came up with a brilliant idea! He wanted to make it easier for computers to share information with each other without being too complicated. So, he created JSON, which was simple and lightweight — a perfect solution! 🎯

Crockford took inspiration from a language called JavaScript, which was already being used on websites. JavaScript was already familiar to most people who worked with computers. So, using a similar format from JavaScript made sense! 🔍💡

Here's how JSON looked back in 2001:

{
    "name": "Lucy",
    "age": 10,
    "favoriteColor": "Blue"
}

It was simple, clear, and easy to understand, just like a well-organized list! 📝

After 2001, people started to see how great JSON was. It was small, easy to read, and fast. Web developers loved it because it made websites and apps work faster! 🚀

JSON became the go-to format for exchanging information, especially on the web. When websites wanted to send information to each other, they used JSON because it was lightweight and didn’t slow things down. 🏃‍♂️💨

More and more people started using it in their programs. They loved how easy it was to learn and how much time and space it saved! ⏳💾

Fast forward to today, and JSON is everywhere! 🌍 You can find it in:

• Websites that share information (like the weather or sports scores)
• Apps that store your preferences (like your favorite color or high score)
• Games that send scores to other players

JSON is now used by almost every major company on the web, including:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google

It helps apps and websites talk to each other, making everything faster and easier to use! 🔄

• Simple: JSON uses plain text, making it easy to read and understand for both humans and computers.
• Compact: JSON is small and doesn't take up much space. This helps make things faster! 🏎️
• Compatible: JSON works with almost every programming language like JavaScript, Python, Java, and C#! 🌐
• Versatile: JSON can store all sorts of data like names, numbers, lists, and even true/false answers! 📊

Let’s go over the timeline of JSON’s journey:

1. Before JSON: People used XML and HTML, which were hard to read and bulky.
2. 2001: Douglas Crockford created JSON to make it easier for computers to talk to each other in a simpler, faster way.
3. The Rise of JSON: Developers loved it because it was simple, small, and fast. It quickly became the standard for websites and apps to share data.
4. Today: JSON is everywhere! It’s used by companies and developers all around the world to share information quickly and efficiently.

Did you know? The name “JSON” was inspired by JavaScript, which is one of the most popular programming languages in the world! So, when you use JSON, you’re actually using a format inspired by one of the most famous languages on the internet. 😎🌍

Now that you know about the history of JSON, here’s a fun activity you can do! Create your own JSON object about a historical figure. Maybe it’s Albert Einstein 🧑‍🔬 or Marie Curie 🔬. Use the following template to get started:

{
    "name": "Albert Einstein",
    "birthYear": 1879,
    "famousWork": "Theory of Relativity",
    "knownFor": ["Physics", "Relativity"],
    "awards": ["Nobel Prize in Physics"]
}

This is a fun way to practice writing JSON and learn about your favorite people in history! 🎓📚

Congratulations! You’ve now learned about the history of JSON and how it became one of the most important technologies used by computers to talk to each other. 🏆

From its humble beginnings in 2001, JSON has changed the way the world shares data, making our internet experience faster and easier! 🚀💬

So the next time you hear someone mention JSON, you’ll know it’s a hero that makes everything work behind the scenes. 🌟💪