JSON Parse Error: Unexpected Token – How to Fix in JavaScript

What is JSON Parse Error?

One of the most common errors developers face is:

Unexpected token in JSON at position...

This usually happens when invalid JSON is passed to JSON.parse().

Common Reasons for This Error

• Missing quotes around keys
• Trailing commas
• Invalid string format
• Server returning HTML instead of JSON

Example of invalid JSON:

{name: "Sumit"}

Correct format:

{"name": "Sumit"}

How to Fix JSON Parse Error

Step 1: Validate JSON

Use our free JSON Formatter to validate your JSON instantly.

Step 2: Check API Response

Make sure your backend returns: application/json

Step 3: Use try-catch

try {
  const data = JSON.parse(response);
} catch (error) {
  console.error("Invalid JSON");
}

Final Thoughts

Always validate JSON before parsing. A proper JSON validator tool can save hours of debugging.