Add your XFDF file
Drop one or more .xfdf 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.
Converting a .xfdf font to .json repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. Free, private, and validated — the file never leaves your browser.
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.Converting a .xfdf font to .json repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. An .xfdf file is the XML expression of PDF form data: a root <xfdf> element containing a <fields> tree in which each <field name="..."> holds a <value>. It carries the same information as FDF in a form that ordinary XML tooling can read.
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.
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .xfdf, considerably more verbose than FDF for the same data. 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.
| Aspect | XML Forms Data Format (.xfdf) | 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 | root element is <xfdf> in the http://ns.adobe.com/xfdf/ namespace, with fields under a single <fields> element | exactly six value types; no dates, no comments, no trailing commas — the strictness is deliberate |
| Strongest at | exchanging PDF form data with web services and enterprise systems | rEST and HTTP API request and response payloads |
| Weak spot | considerably more verbose than FDF for the same data | no comments — a perpetual annoyance for configuration files |
Drop one or more .xfdf 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.
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.
Press Convert. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip.
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.
There is no visual quality to lose — xfdf 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.
Yes — the .xfdf 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.
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.
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.
In .xfdf, the href document reference is detected and reported as omitted rather than followed or copied. 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.
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .xfdf → .json → .xfdf is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.