Add your ARROW file
Drop one or more .arrow files onto the converter above, or browse for them. They load into browser memory only — nothing is uploaded, so there is no size-based pricing and no server queue.
ARROW to JSON
Converting a .arrow font to .json repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. Free, private, and validated — the file never leaves your browser.
Private for supported formats — processed in your browser
Runs on your deviceConvert supported files
Drop ARROW files here
Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.
Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.About converting Apache Arrow IPC to JSON data
Converting a .arrow font to .json repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. An .arrow file is an Apache Arrow IPC file: a columnar table written in exactly the memory layout Arrow uses at runtime, so a reader can point at the bytes and start working without parsing or copying anything. The file format is the in-memory format with a header, a footer and a little framing, which is the entire idea.
A .json file holds JavaScript Object Notation: nested objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and null written in a strict text syntax. It is the default data language of the web — most APIs speak nothing else. For this route the practical draw is parsers ship in the standard library of essentially every language and readable by humans and machines alike — balanced against no comments — a perpetual annoyance for configuration files, which is worth knowing before you commit a large batch.
Why convert ARROW to JSON?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .arrow, uncompressed by default, so files are substantially larger than Parquet. Switching to .json buys you parsers ship in the standard library of essentially every language, which is why it is the better fit for rEST and HTTP API request and response payloads. Because the conversion runs locally, trying it costs nothing but a few seconds of compute on your own machine.
ARROW vs JSON at a glance
| Aspect | Apache Arrow IPC (.arrow) | JSON data (.json) |
|---|---|---|
| Format type | Lossless — every pixel or sample is preserved exactly | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss |
| How it stores data | data is columnar: each column is one contiguous buffer plus an optional validity bitmap, so a scan touches only the columns it needs | exactly six value types; no dates, no comments, no trailing commas — the strictness is deliberate |
| Strongest at | handing a table between Python, R, Java and JavaScript without a serialization step | rEST and HTTP API request and response payloads |
| Weak spot | uncompressed by default, so files are substantially larger than Parquet | no comments — a perpetual annoyance for configuration files |
Pick JSON as the output
Select .json in the output menu next to each file. The menu only offers targets this engine can genuinely produce, so if JSON is selectable, the route is real and validated.
Convert on your device
Press Convert. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip.
Verify and download
Each result is signature-checked before the download unlocks, so a failed encode can never masquerade as a valid JSON file. Outputs keep the original filename with the .json extension.
ARROW to JSON questions, answered
Will converting ARROW to JSON lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — arrow is lossless-oriented and json is text-oriented, so the question is structural fidelity. Text, ordering, and basic structure are preserved; complex layout, embedded objects, and styling beyond the target's model are simplified.
Is it private to convert ARROW files here?
Yes — the .arrow file is processed inside your browser tab and never uploaded. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip. Close the tab and the file is gone from memory.
Where will the JSON file work?
Browsers parse it natively through JSON.parse, every mainstream language bundles support, and most editors validate and highlight it out of the box. Viewing a raw .json file is possible in any text editor or browser tab.
Will the JSON file be bigger or smaller than my ARROW?
It depends on the content: exactly six value types; no dates, no comments, no trailing commas — the strictness is deliberate. Convert one representative file first and compare before batch-processing a large set.
What happens to the metadata in my ARROW file?
In .arrow, the embedded schema, field names and custom key-value metadata are read; JSON and CSV have nowhere to put schema metadata, so it is reported rather than carried. Re-encoding through the browser pipeline does not carry embedded metadata into the output, which doubles as a privacy scrub — check the exported file if you specifically need tags preserved.
Can I convert JSON back to ARROW?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .arrow → .json → .arrow is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.