What Is JSON-LD? Structured Data in JSON

Understand JSON-LD context and types, see a simple example, and distinguish syntax checks from structured-data eligibility.

JSON-LD is a way to express linked data using JSON syntax. A @context tells a JSON-LD processor how to interpret names. A @type identifies the kind of thing described. Web pages often include JSON-LD in a <script type="application/ld+json"> element for machine-readable structured data.

A small example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "A guide to JSON",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Alex"
  }
}

This is valid JSON syntax. The context and type add meaning for software that understands that vocabulary. A normal JSON parser treats @context and @type as ordinary property names.

What validation can tell you

The JSON validator can catch malformed quotes, commas, and brackets. It cannot establish whether a page’s structured data follows a vocabulary, describes visible page content, or qualifies for any search feature. For those checks, use the requirements and testing tools of the consuming search engine after the page is live.

Adding JSON-LD does not replace useful page content. Describe what the page actually contains, and avoid adding a type only because you hope it will change rankings. The W3C JSON-LD 1.1 specification defines the data format; Google’s structured data introduction explains its use in Google Search.