JSON to CSV Converter: Transform API Data to Spreadsheets

APIs return JSON, but spreadsheets need CSV. Whether you’re exporting user data, generating reports, or feeding analytics tools, converting JSON arrays to CSV is a task developers face regularly.

How JSON Maps to CSV

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a flat, tabular format — rows and columns. JSON arrays of objects map naturally to this structure:

Simple Conversion

[
  { "name": "Alice", "age": 30, "city": "NYC" },
  { "name": "Bob", "age": 25, "city": "LA" },
  { "name": "Carol", "age": 35, "city": "Chicago" }
]

Becomes:

name,age,city
Alice,30,NYC
Bob,25,LA
Carol,35,Chicago

Each object becomes a row. Each unique key becomes a column header.

Handling Missing Fields

Not every object needs the same keys. Missing fields become empty cells:

[
  { "name": "Alice", "email": "alice@example.com" },
  { "name": "Bob", "phone": "555-0123" }
]

Becomes:

name,email,phone
Alice,alice@example.com,
Bob,,555-0123

Nested Objects

Nested structures are flattened or stringified:

[
  { "name": "Alice", "address": { "city": "NYC", "zip": "10001" } }
]

Our converter stringifies nested objects so no data is lost:

name,address
Alice,"{""city"":""NYC"",""zip"":""10001""}"

When to Convert JSON to CSV

Data Export

Users expect to download their data as CSV for use in Excel or Google Sheets. API endpoints that return JSON arrays can be converted to CSV for download buttons.

Reporting

Business teams often need data in spreadsheet format. Converting JSON API responses to CSV makes data accessible to non-technical stakeholders.

Data Migration

Moving data between systems often involves converting formats. CSV is universally supported by databases, spreadsheets, and ETL tools.

Log Analysis

Server logs in JSON format can be converted to CSV for analysis in tools that prefer tabular data, or for quick visual scanning in a spreadsheet.

CSV Formatting Rules

CSV has specific rules for handling special characters:

Commas in Values

Values containing commas must be quoted:

name,description
"Smith, John","Loves coding, coffee"

Quotes in Values

Double quotes inside quoted values are escaped by doubling them:

name,quote
Alice,"She said ""hello"""

Newlines in Values

Values with line breaks must be quoted:

name,bio
Alice,"First line
Second line"

Our converter handles all these edge cases automatically.

How to Use Our JSON to CSV Tool

1. Paste your JSON array into the left panel
2. View the CSV conversion instantly in the right panel
3. Copy the result or use it in your spreadsheet application

Requirements

• Input must be a JSON array of objects (e.g., [{...}, {...}])
• Each object in the array becomes one row
• All unique keys across all objects become column headers

Tips

• If your JSON is a single object (not an array), wrap it in brackets: [{ your: "data" }]
• Nested objects are stringified — flatten them beforehand if you need separate columns
• The converter automatically handles commas, quotes, and special characters in values
• Column order is determined by the order keys appear across all objects

Common API Response Patterns

Paginated Results

Many APIs wrap data in a container:

{
  "data": [
    { "id": 1, "name": "Alice" },
    { "id": 2, "name": "Bob" }
  ],
  "total": 2
}

Extract the data array first, then convert to CSV.

Mixed Types

JSON values can be strings, numbers, booleans, or null. All are converted to their string representation in CSV:

[
  { "name": "Alice", "active": true, "score": null }
]

name,active,score
Alice,true,

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert CSV back to JSON? Yes! Check out our CSV to JSON tool for the reverse conversion.

What about large datasets? Our browser-based converter works well for datasets up to a few thousand rows. For very large files, consider using command-line tools like jq or Python’s pandas.

Does it preserve data types? CSV is a text format — all values become strings. Numbers and booleans are written as their string representation. When importing the CSV, your spreadsheet application will typically auto-detect types.

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Try our free JSON to CSV converter to transform your API data into spreadsheet format instantly.