JSON is a universal data format that has revolutionized the database industry by being used as the underlying data storage format in NoSQL databases. It's compact, easy to read and write, and supports key-value pairs, making it efficient for both humans and machines. JSON is widely supported and has numerous benefits, including flexibility, ease of migration, low-code rapid development, no schema evolution challenges, diverse data storage, and high scalability. However, traditional SQL databases struggle with performing analytics on JSON data due to their rigid schema requirements. In contrast, JSON document databases can handle both operational workloads and data analytics, providing real-time insights without complex ETL processes or infrastructure complexity.