JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight, text-based data interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. It is language-independent but uses conventions familiar to programmers of the C-family of languages, including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, Python, and many others. JSON is commonly used to transmit data between a server and web application, serving as an alternative to XML.
Developers should learn JSON because it is the de facto standard for data interchange in modern web APIs, mobile applications, and configuration files due to its simplicity, readability, and widespread support across programming languages and platforms. It is essential for building RESTful APIs, handling client-server communication, and storing structured data in NoSQL databases like MongoDB. Use cases include exchanging data in web services, serializing objects for storage or transmission, and configuring applications in tools like package.json for Node.js.