What is TOON? Reduce LLM Token Usage by 50%

TOON (Token-Oriented Object Notation) is a token-efficient data format specifically designed to reduce Large Language Model (LLM) API costs. By converting JSON to TOON format, you can cut token usage by approximately 50%, significantly lowering costs when working with GPT, Claude, and other AI models.

Why TOON Was Created

As LLM usage grows, so do API costs. When sending data to AI models, every token counts toward your bill. JSON, while excellent for machine communication, is verbose and inefficient for LLM prompts. TOON was developed specifically to solve this problem by creating a more compact representation of structured data. Learn more about JSON vs TOON comparison to understand the key differences.

Key Features of TOON Format

1. Token Efficiency

TOON reduces token count by ~50% compared to JSON by:

• Removing unnecessary quotes and brackets
• Using compact array notation
• Eliminating redundant syntax
• Optimizing structure for tokenization

2. Cost Reduction

Lower token usage means:

• Reduced API costs for GPT, Claude, and other LLMs
• Faster processing times
• Ability to include more data in prompts
• Better ROI on AI applications

3. Data Integrity

Despite being more compact, TOON:

• Preserves all data types (strings, numbers, booleans, null)
• Maintains structural relationships
• Handles nested objects and arrays
• Ensures no data loss

TOON vs JSON: Token Comparison

JSON (Verbose)

json
{"users":[{"id":1,"name":"John","active":true}]}

~68 tokens - Lots of quotes, brackets, and redundant syntax

TOON (Compact)

text
users[1]{id,name,active}:
  1,John,true

~47 tokens - Clean, compact, token-efficient

Result: ~31% token reduction

When to Use TOON

Perfect For:

• LLM Prompts: Sending data to GPT, Claude, or other AI models
• AI Applications: Cost-sensitive LLM integrations
• Prompt Engineering: Maximizing context window usage
• Batch Processing: Reducing costs for multiple LLM calls
• Token-Limited Scenarios: When you need to fit more data in prompts

Keep JSON For:

• API responses and requests
• Database storage
• Configuration files
• Machine-to-machine communication
• Standard web applications

Common Use Cases for TOON

1. AI Prompt Optimization

When sending structured data to LLMs:

• Database records for analysis
• User data for personalization
• Product catalogs for recommendations
• Historical data for context

2. Cost-Sensitive AI Applications

For applications where LLM costs matter:

• Chatbots processing user data
• AI agents with structured context
• Batch AI processing jobs
• Enterprise AI solutions

3. Context Window Management

When you need to fit more information:

• Including larger datasets in prompts
• Providing comprehensive context
• Sending multiple records at once
• Maximizing available tokens

Getting Started with TOON

Converting JSON to TOON is instant with our free JSON to TOON converter. Follow our complete converter guide for detailed instructions:

1. Paste your JSON data
2. Click convert
3. Copy the token-efficient TOON output
4. Use in your LLM prompts
5. Save ~50% on API costs

Best Practices

1. Use TOON for LLM inputs: When sending data to AI models
2. Keep JSON for everything else: For APIs, storage, and standard operations
3. Test token counts: Verify savings with actual LLM tokenizers
4. Optimize data structure: Uniform data saves more tokens

Check out our conversion best practices guide for expert tips and common pitfalls to avoid.

Token Savings Examples

Small Dataset

• JSON: 250 tokens → TOON: 125 tokens = 50% savings

Medium Dataset

• JSON: 1,000 tokens → TOON: 500 tokens = $0.05 saved per call (GPT-4)

Large Dataset

• JSON: 5,000 tokens → TOON: 2,500 tokens = $0.25 saved per call

For 10,000 API calls/month: Save $2,500 monthly!

Conclusion

TOON is purpose-built for the LLM era. By reducing token count by ~50%, it makes AI applications more affordable and efficient. Whether you're building chatbots, AI agents, or any LLM-powered application, TOON helps you reduce costs while maintaining data integrity.

Start converting today and cut your LLM API costs in half!