If a file is so large that the processor spends a lot of time parsing, then the file is too large to be conveniently edited by a person. For large files it is

If a file is so large that the processor spends a lot of time parsing, then the file is too large to be conveniently edited by a person. For large files it is best to use a binary format that can be read quickly without parsing or allocation. https://rkyv.org/ https://rkyv.org/ is an example. Being 'friendly' is not why JSON is popular. JSON is popular because the decoder is included the web browser.