Add your JSON file
Drop one or more .json 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.
JSON to RIS
Restructuring .json data as .ris changes the serialization without touching the values themselves. 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 JSON 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 JSON data to Research Information Systems citation
Restructuring .json data as .ris changes the serialization without touching the values themselves. 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.
A .ris file is a citation list in a strict tagged format: every line begins with a two-character tag, then exactly two spaces, a hyphen and a space, then the value. A record starts with TY and ends with ER, and that rigidity is why it interoperates so reliably. For this route the practical draw is rigid enough that implementations genuinely agree and supported by essentially every academic database and reference manager — balanced against tag vocabulary varies by vendor, so some fields are lost in transit, which is worth knowing before you commit a large batch.
Why convert JSON to RIS?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .json, no comments — a perpetual annoyance for configuration files. Switching to .ris buys you rigid enough that implementations genuinely agree, which is why it is the better fit for importing search results from PubMed, Scopus or Web of Science into a reference manager. Because the conversion runs locally, trying it costs nothing but a few seconds of compute on your own machine.
JSON vs RIS at a glance
| Aspect | JSON data (.json) | Research Information Systems citation (.ris) |
|---|---|---|
| Format type | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss |
| How it stores data | exactly six value types; no dates, no comments, no trailing commas — the strictness is deliberate | the tag column is fixed width: two characters, two spaces, a hyphen, a space. A single space instead of two is the most common export bug, and strict readers reject it |
| Strongest at | rEST and HTTP API request and response payloads | importing search results from PubMed, Scopus or Web of Science into a reference manager |
| Weak spot | no comments — a perpetual annoyance for configuration files | tag vocabulary varies by vendor, so some fields are lost in transit |
Pick RIS as the output
Select .ris in the output menu next to each file. The menu only offers targets this engine can genuinely produce, so if RIS is selectable, the route is real and validated.
Convert on your device
Press Convert. The restructuring is plain local parsing — your data is never posted to a server for processing.
Verify and download
Each result is signature-checked before the download unlocks, so a failed encode can never masquerade as a valid RIS file. Outputs keep the original filename with the .ris extension.
JSON to RIS questions, answered
Will converting JSON to RIS lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — json is text-oriented and ris 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 JSON files here?
Yes — the .json file is processed inside your browser tab and never uploaded. The restructuring is plain local parsing — your data is never posted to a server for processing. Close the tab and the file is gone from memory.
Where will the RIS file work?
Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, RefWorks, Papers and every major academic database read RIS. Novus Convert converts it locally to BibTeX, JSON and CSV through the same bounded citation model, so a RIS to BibTeX round trip preserves the core bibliographic fields.
Will the RIS file be bigger or smaller than my JSON?
It depends on the content: the tag column is fixed width: two characters, two spaces, a hyphen, a space. A single space instead of two is the most common export bug, and strict readers reject it. Convert one representative file first and compare before batch-processing a large set.
Can I convert RIS back to JSON?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .json → .ris → .json is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.