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Properties to JSON Converter

Java .properties into nested JSON — \u escapes, continuations and list keys included.

Drop a .properties file here, or click to choose one

Converted on your device — the file is never uploaded

JSON

Quick Tool Overview

The Properties to JSON Converter reads a Java .properties file the way java.util.Properties does — three separators, continuation lines and \uXXXX escapes — and returns nested or flat JSON.

What it does
Converts Java .properties to JSON
You give it
application.properties or any properties file
You get back
Nested or flat JSON with real types
Best for
Moving Spring config to YAML or JSON
Converters Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the Properties to JSON Converter

Every Java and Spring project carries application.properties files, and moving to YAML, JSON config or a different platform means reading them exactly the way java.util.Properties does — which is fussier than it looks. Keys can be separated by =, : or plain whitespace, lines continue with a backslash, and non-ASCII characters are written as \uXXXX escapes.

Paste the file and get JSON. Comments starting with # or ! are skipped, continuation lines are joined, escapes are decoded, and C\:\\temp comes back as C:\temp. Dotted keys nest into real objects — server.port becomes { "server": { "port": … } } — and Spring-style list[0] keys become arrays. Duplicate keys are reported (Java keeps the last), as is any key that is both a value and a parent, which cannot be nested.

Key features of the Properties to JSON Converter

All three separators

key=value, key:value and key value are all read correctly.

Escapes decoded

\u00e9 becomes é and C\:\\temp becomes C:\temp.

Continuation lines

A line ending in a backslash is joined with the next, as Java does.

Dotted keys nest

server.port becomes an object, and list[0] keys become arrays.

Problems reported

Duplicate keys and keys that are both a value and a parent are named, not hidden.

How to use the Properties to JSON Converter

  1. 1

    Paste or drop the .properties file

    application.properties, messages.properties or any Java properties file.

  2. 2

    Choose nested or flat

    Nest dotted keys into objects, or keep them exactly as written.

  3. 3

    Decide about types

    Read 8080 and true as a number and a boolean, or keep every value as a string.

  4. 4

    Copy or download the JSON

    Use it in a config file, a migration script or a test fixture.

Frequently asked questions

All three that Java accepts: key=value, key:value and key value. Leading whitespace is ignored and the first unescaped separator wins.

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