JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a widely-used data interchange format that is easily readable by both humans and computers, making it the preferred choice for data exchange in various applications, especially in APIs and web development. Developed by Douglas Crockford in the early 2000s as a lightweight alternative to XML, JSON gained popularity due to its minimal syntax, ease of parsing, and efficient data transmission, which is crucial for modern web and mobile applications. JSON is language-independent and supports a range of data types including strings, numbers, objects, arrays, booleans, and null values, allowing it to describe complex data structures. Despite the existence of other data formats like XML, YAML, and CSV, JSON remains favored for its simplicity, flexibility, and widespread support across programming languages and platforms. Its structure, based on key-value pairs and arrays, facilitates easy data manipulation and integration, which is why it is commonly associated with RESTful APIs and is integral to data communication in web technologies.