Add your RIS file
Drop one or more .ris 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.
RIS to JSON
Converting a .ris 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 RIS 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 Research Information Systems citation to JSON data
Converting a .ris font to .json repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. 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.
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 RIS to JSON?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .ris, tag vocabulary varies by vendor, so some fields are lost in transit. 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.
RIS vs JSON at a glance
| Aspect | Research Information Systems citation (.ris) | JSON data (.json) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | exactly six value types; no dates, no comments, no trailing commas — the strictness is deliberate |
| Strongest at | importing search results from PubMed, Scopus or Web of Science into a reference manager | rEST and HTTP API request and response payloads |
| Weak spot | tag vocabulary varies by vendor, so some fields are lost in transit | 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.
RIS to JSON questions, answered
Will converting RIS to JSON lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — ris is text-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 RIS files here?
Yes — the .ris 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 RIS?
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 RIS file?
In .ris, core bibliographic tags are preserved; vendor-specific tags outside the shared model are dropped and the page says so. 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 RIS?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .ris → .json → .ris is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.