Googlebot Doesn't Parse JSON Files, Leaves Indexer to Do Rest

Google has clarified its stance on crawling and parsing JSON files. According to Gary Illyes from Google, Googlebot does not parse JSON files itself. Instead, it downloads the files, which are then processed by the indexer.

This process is part of a larger workflow that includes fetching, crawling, indexing, and serving. While Googlebot's primary function is crawling, its operations overlap with other Google services. Illyes confirmed this shared infrastructure applies to Merchant Center as well.