CONFIG

ENV to JSON Converter

Convert .env files to JSON and back, with quoting, comments and type parsing handled for you.

Conversion Options

Choose a direction and control how values are typed and ordered.

Direction

Parse numbers and booleans

Applies to unquoted values only. Quoted values always stay strings.

Sort keys

Order output keys alphabetically instead of keeping file order.

Single-quoted values stay literal, while double-quoted values unescape \n, \r, \t and backslash sequences. Multi-line quoted values are not supported.

Input

Paste the contents of a .env file

Output

JSON object built from the parsed keys, ready to copy.

{
  "NODE_ENV": "production",
  "PORT": "8080",
  "API_BASE_URL": "https://api.example.com/v1",
  "ENABLE_TRACING": "false",
  "REQUEST_TIMEOUT": "2.5",
  "APP_NAME": "DevTools One",
  "BANNER": "Welcome\nHave a nice build",
  "WINDOWS_PATH": "C:\\Users\\dev",
  "OPTIONAL_TOKEN": "",
  "CACHE_TTL": "3600"
}

Keys in output: 10

Line Notes

Errors and warnings found while parsing, listed with line numbers.

No problems found in the current input.

What

ENV to JSON Converter definition

A .env file stores configuration as KEY=VALUE lines that tools load into environment variables. This converter turns those lines into structured JSON and rebuilds a valid .env file from JSON, entirely in your browser.

Cases

Use Cases

Turn a .env file into JSON for a config schema or test fixture.

Rebuild a .env file from a JSON export before local development.

Diff two environments by converting both .env files to sorted JSON.

Spot malformed lines and duplicate keys before a deployment fails.

Prepare environment variables for Docker Compose or CI pipeline files.

Check how quoted values and inline comments are actually parsed.

How To

How to convert between .env and JSON

Pick a direction, paste your configuration, review the warnings and copy the result.

Choose a direction

Select .env to JSON or JSON to .env at the top of the tool.

Paste your configuration

Paste the file contents or load the sample to see the expected format.

Tune the options

Enable type parsing for numbers and booleans, or sort keys alphabetically.

Review and copy

Check the line-by-line notes, then copy the generated output.

Knowledge

Working with .env Files

The .env Format

There is no formal specification for .env files, so loaders differ slightly. This tool follows the widely shared rules: the first equals sign splits the pair, # starts a comment, and quotes control escaping.

Quoting and Escaping

Quote any value that contains spaces, a # character or a newline. Double quotes let you write escape sequences, while single quotes keep the text exactly as typed, which is handy for Windows paths and regular expressions.

Security Considerations

Real .env files hold secrets, so avoid pasting production credentials into tools you do not control. This converter also builds the JSON object with a null prototype, so a key such as __proto__ becomes ordinary data instead of polluting the prototype chain.

FAQ

Which .env syntax does this tool support?

Blank lines, # comments, an optional export prefix and KEY=VALUE pairs split at the first equals sign. Single quotes are literal and double quotes support \n, \r and \t escapes.

Why are my numbers still strings?

Environment variables are strings by definition, so type parsing is off by default. Turn the switch on to convert unquoted numbers and booleans.

How are nested JSON objects converted to .env?

They are flattened with a double underscore separator, so a nested port field becomes DB__port. Empty objects and arrays produce an empty value plus a warning.

What happens to duplicate keys?

The last occurrence wins, which matches how most dotenv loaders behave, and every duplicate is reported with its line number.

Are multi-line quoted values supported?

No. A quote that is not closed on the same line is reported as an error instead of silently swallowing the rest of the file.

Is my configuration uploaded anywhere?

No. Parsing and serialization run entirely in your browser, so secrets never leave your machine.

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