Convert INI Configuration to JSON Format Parse INI configuration files and convert to structured JSON format.

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INI to JSON

Parse INI configuration files and convert to structured JSON format.

Paste INI content

Paste your INI configuration file content.

View JSON output

Sections become JSON objects, key-value pairs become properties.

Copy JSON

Copy the structured JSON for use in applications.

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What Is INI to JSON?

INI to JSON is a file conversion tool that translates INI-style configuration files into structured JSON format. Developers working with legacy systems or cross-platform applications often use it to convert ini files into a more modern and widely-supported format. One specific problem it solves is handling the conversion of nested sections in ini files, which can be cumbersome to parse manually.

The tool's ini parser handles comments by removing lines starting with ; or #, ensuring that only relevant data is converted. It also strips surrounding quotes from values, resulting in clean JSON output. For instance, if an ini file contains a line like `name = "mydb"`, the tool will convert it to `"name": "mydb"` without the unnecessary quotes.

What sets this apart from other convert ini to json tools is its ability to place keys outside any section at the root level of the JSON object. This feature, implemented in the code using a conditional statement `if (currentSection)`, allows for more flexible conversion options. When using it to parse ini online or as an ini file converter, users can expect accurate and efficient results, making their workflow easier when working with different configuration formats like ini to json conversions.

Why Use INI to JSON?

Parses standard INI features: sections, key-value pairs, comments.
Handles both ; and # comment styles.
Strips surrounding quotes from values automatically.
Keys outside sections are preserved at the JSON root level.

Common Use Cases

Configuration Migration

Convert legacy INI config files to JSON for modern applications.

PHP/Python Config

Parse php.ini or Python ConfigParser files into JSON format.

Windows Configuration

Convert Windows INI registry or config files to JSON.

Automation

Transform INI configuration into JSON for programmatic processing.

Technical Guide

The parser processes the INI file line by line. Lines starting with ; or # are treated as comments and skipped. Empty lines are ignored. Section headers are detected by the [section] pattern.

Key-value pairs are split on the first = sign, allowing values to contain = characters. Surrounding whitespace is trimmed from both keys and values. Quoted values (single or double) have their quotes stripped.

The JSON structure uses the section name as a key with an object value containing that section's key-value pairs. Keys appearing before any section header are placed at the root level of the JSON object.

All values are treated as strings since INI has no native type system. Post-processing can convert numeric and boolean strings to their proper types if needed.

Tips & Best Practices

1
Both ; and # comment styles are supported and ignored during parsing.
2
Values with surrounding quotes are automatically unquoted.
3
Keys before any [section] are placed at the root JSON level.
4
All values are strings — convert types manually if needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q How are INI sections mapped?

Each [section] becomes a JSON object key containing the section's key-value pairs as a nested object.

Q Are comments preserved?

No, comments are discarded during parsing since JSON does not support comments.

Q What about duplicate keys?

If a key appears multiple times in a section, the last value wins.

Q Are values typed?

All values are treated as strings. Use a JSON editor to change types if needed.

Q Does it handle multi-line values?

Standard INI does not support multi-line values. Each key-value pair should be on one line.

About This Tool

INI to JSON is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.