How do I convert a .env file to JSON online?

Paste the contents of your .env file into the input panel and click Convert. The tool parses each KEY=VALUE line and outputs a formatted JSON object in the output panel, which you can copy or download as a .json file.

Does this tool upload my .env file to a server?

No. Parsing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript — no network request is made with your file contents, which matters since .env files often hold secrets like API keys and database credentials.

Does converting .env to JSON keep the comments?

Yes, by default. Comment lines (starting with #) are kept as a $comments field in the output JSON, mapping each key to the comment that preceded it. Switch the Comments option to "Ignore" in Advanced options to drop them instead.

How are boolean and number values handled when converting .env to JSON?

With Infer types on (the default), values like true, false, or 5432 are converted to actual JSON boolean/number types instead of strings. Turn Infer types off in Advanced options to keep every value as a plain string, matching the raw .env text exactly.

Can I turn dotted .env keys into nested JSON objects?

Yes. With "Dotted keys → nested" enabled (default separator "."), a key like APP.CACHE.TTL=60 becomes { "APP": { "CACHE": { "TTL": 60 } } }. Disable the toggle to keep the original flat dotted key instead.

What's the difference between .env and JSON for configuration?

A .env file is a flat list of KEY=VALUE pairs meant for process environment variables (see The Twelve-Factor App's config guidance), while JSON supports nested structures and native types. Converting lets you inspect or diff .env values as structured data, or feed them into tools that only accept JSON.

Does it support quoted values in .env files?

Yes. Values wrapped in single or double quotes, such as NAME="My App", have the surrounding quotes stripped automatically before type inference is applied.

.env to JSON Converter

Convert .env file content to JSON with type inference, nested keys, and comment preservation. Client-side only.

Paste your .env file content and this tool converts it into JSON instantly in your browser. Numbers and booleans are auto-detected by default (DEBUG=true becomes a real boolean, not the string "true"), dotted keys like DB.HOST become nested objects, and comment lines are kept as $comments fields instead of being silently dropped. Every option can be switched off. Nothing is uploaded — the conversion runs entirely client-side.

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JSON Output

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About the .env to JSON Converter

Environment files (.env) are plain KEY=VALUE text, which makes them easy to write but awkward to feed into code that expects structured configuration. This tool parses .env syntax — including # comments, quoted values, and both = and : separators — and produces a JSON object you can drop straight into a config loader, a test fixture, or a debugging session. Three switches control the output: type inference turns numeric and boolean-looking strings into real JSON types, dotted-key nesting turns FEATURE.CACHE.TTL into { "FEATURE": { "CACHE": { "TTL": ... } } }, and comment handling keeps or drops the # lines that documented the original file.

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How to convert .env to JSON

1
Paste your .env content
Copy the contents of your .env file into the input panel, or click the flask icon to load a sample with comments, numbers, and booleans.
2
Adjust advanced options if needed
Open Advanced options to toggle type inference, dotted-key nesting (and its separator), and whether comments are kept as $comments fields or ignored. Defaults match the common convention: types inferred, keys nested, comments kept.
3
Click Convert
The parser reads each line, strips comments and quotes, and produces a JSON object in the output panel. Toggling an option afterward re-runs the conversion immediately without needing to click Convert again.
4
Copy or download the JSON
Use the copy icon to grab the JSON for pasting elsewhere, or download it as a .json file. Need to go the other way? Use the switch-direction icon to jump to JSON to Env.

References

The Twelve-Factor App — Config
The widely-cited methodology that popularized storing configuration in environment variables, the convention .env files are built around.
dotenv (motdotla) — README
The reference implementation and de facto specification for .env file syntax: KEY=VALUE lines, # comments, and quoted values.
RFC 8259 — The JSON Data Interchange Format
The IETF specification for the JSON format produced by this tool.

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Env to JSON FAQ

How do I convert a .env file to JSON online?: Paste the contents of your .env file into the input panel and click Convert. The tool parses each KEY=VALUE line and outputs a formatted JSON object in the output panel, which you can copy or download as a .json file.
Does this tool upload my .env file to a server?: No. Parsing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript — no network request is made with your file contents, which matters since .env files often hold secrets like API keys and database credentials.
Does converting .env to JSON keep the comments?: Yes, by default. Comment lines (starting with #) are kept as a $comments field in the output JSON, mapping each key to the comment that preceded it. Switch the Comments option to "Ignore" in Advanced options to drop them instead.
How are boolean and number values handled when converting .env to JSON?: With Infer types on (the default), values like true, false, or 5432 are converted to actual JSON boolean/number types instead of strings. Turn Infer types off in Advanced options to keep every value as a plain string, matching the raw .env text exactly.
Can I turn dotted .env keys into nested JSON objects?: Yes. With "Dotted keys → nested" enabled (default separator "."), a key like APP.CACHE.TTL=60 becomes { "APP": { "CACHE": { "TTL": 60 } } }. Disable the toggle to keep the original flat dotted key instead.
What's the difference between .env and JSON for configuration?: A .env file is a flat list of KEY=VALUE pairs meant for process environment variables (see The Twelve-Factor App's config guidance), while JSON supports nested structures and native types. Converting lets you inspect or diff .env values as structured data, or feed them into tools that only accept JSON.
Does it support quoted values in .env files?: Yes. Values wrapped in single or double quotes, such as NAME="My App", have the surrounding quotes stripped automatically before type inference is applied.