Ask HN: What can JSON do that HTML can't?

They are both just data formats. HTML, derived from XML, is a data format that can be read by the browser to display information to users; JSON is data format that can be read and written by almost every programming language, including JavaScript running on a server or in a the browser.

HTML is just as capable of storing data, for example microformats. In practice though, it is easier to use HTML to describe the contents of a web page for a user and JSON to exchange data between programs.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/microforma...

None of them alone can't do anything and they are used for total different purposes. You can organize the data in a way to include the same information stored in the data's.

If your primarily moving and manipulating that data imo json is easier to work with (less loc)

Be easily parsed.

Is there really any difference is ease of parsing when given two properly formed documents of each type?

Yes, json is so much simpler. Afaik, that is the reason for its popularity, even XML can be too much (especially as you browse the list of vulnerabilities in parsers).

Be smaller.