Skip to the converter

FODS to JSON converter, without the upload.

Turn FODS spreadsheets into JSON. It is converted in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.

Drop FODS files here

or choose from your computer paste with Ctrl V

Ready · other file types work too0 bytes uploaded, ever

Convert to

How to convert FODS to JSON

  1. Add your FODS spreadsheets

    Drop FODS files onto the box above, or click it to choose them. ToAny reads the file's contents to detect the type, so a wrong extension does not matter.

  2. JSON is already chosen

    Press Convert. There is nothing else to set. The work happens in this tab.

  3. Download

    Save the JSON, or download everything as one ZIP if you converted several files.

Why ToAny

  • Private by construction

    The FODS to JSON converter is part of this page and runs inside your browser. Your spreadsheets are never sent to ToAny or to anyone else.

  • No upload, no queue

    Nothing has to travel to a server and back, so the conversion starts the moment you press Convert, even on a slow connection.

  • Free, without an account

    No sign-up, no email address and no watermark. Add several files and download them together as a ZIP.

FODS to JSON: what to expect

FODS is large and few apps outside LibreOffice open it. JSON is what APIs and most programming languages read natively. FODS is at home in spreadsheets kept in version control or processed with XML tools; JSON is the usual choice for APIs and data exchanged between programs.

The first row is read as column names, and every row after it becomes one object, keyed by those names. A header such as address.city is turned back into a nested address with a city. A workbook with a single sheet becomes a plain list; one with several sheets becomes an object keyed by sheet name. Formulas come across as the values they last calculated, and formatting such as colours and column widths is not carried over.

FODS vs JSON

FODS

Flat OpenDocument spreadsheet

FODS is the OpenDocument spreadsheet written as a single plain-text XML file instead of a ZIP of several parts. It is larger than an ODS, but it can be read in any editor, compared with diff tools and processed by scripts.

Opens in LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice and other OpenDocument tools

FODS converter
JSON

JSON data

JSON represents data as nested objects and lists in plain text. It is the default language of web APIs. Unlike a spreadsheet it can be nested to any depth, which is also why turning it into rows and columns takes a decision about how to flatten it.

Opens in Any text editor, every programming language, browser developer tools

JSON converter
FODS compared with JSON
FODSFlat OpenDocument spreadsheetJSONJSON data
Stands forFlat OpenDocument SpreadsheetJavaScript Object Notation
TypeSpreadsheetStructured data (text)
CompressionNone (one plain XML file)None
IntroducedThe 2010s, by OASIS (the OpenDocument standard)2001, by Douglas Crockford
Opens inLibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice and other OpenDocument toolsAny text editor, every programming language, browser developer tools
Best forSpreadsheets kept in version control or processed with XML toolsAPIs and data exchanged between programs
File extension.fods.json

Questions

Are my spreadsheets uploaded anywhere?

No. The FODS to JSON conversion runs inside your browser, on your own phone or computer. The file is not sent to ToAny or to anyone else.

Is anything lost when converting FODS to JSON?

The values are kept. Anything JSON has no way to express, such as formatting, formulas or nesting, is simplified or left out.

Can I convert several FODS files at once?

Yes. Add as many as you like, convert them together and download each result or all of them as one ZIP.

How do I convert FODS to JSON on Windows, Mac, iPhone or Android?

The steps are the same everywhere because ToAny runs in the web browser: open this page in a current version of Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox, add the FODS file, press Convert and save the JSON. There is nothing to install.

Is there a file size limit?

Yes. Spreadsheet files up to 150 MB are accepted; a larger file is refused with a message. Beyond that the limit is your device's memory, since nothing is uploaded; a computer copes with large files better than a phone.