# Unexpected token \< in JSON at position 0 for author field

**URL:** <https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 22, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976 "2019-05-22T13:50:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gubipe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gubipe/32/115792_2.png) [@Gubipe](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Gubipe)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/1 "2019-05-22T13:50:42Z")

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I am trying to add the author field, but when I check the solution, it responds with Unexpected token \< in JSON at position 0.  
I think it might be some thing with the link.

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**Author:** ![ILM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/ilm/32/363239_2.png) [@ILM](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ILM)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/2 "2019-05-22T14:10:20Z")

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A bit more context may be extremely useful to help you, also if it happens in a project, a codepen would be extremely useful

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**Author:** ![Gubipe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gubipe/32/115792_2.png) [@Gubipe](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Gubipe)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/3 "2019-05-22T14:18:11Z")

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I use glicth…

> **[Glitch](https://glitch.com/edit/#!/glitchproject2)**
>
> Combining automated deployment, instant hosting & collaborative editing, Glitch gets you straight to coding so you can build full-stack web apps, fast

  
idk if this works

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**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/4 "2019-05-22T15:22:15Z")

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You need to submit the link to the Glitch page not the JSON file. That is, submit the page you get when clicking the Show button up top.

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**Author:** ![Gubipe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gubipe/32/115792_2.png) [@Gubipe](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Gubipe)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/5 "2019-05-23T13:14:12Z")

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thank you very much for the help!

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**Author:** ![DanCouper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/dancouper/32/158608_2.png) [@DanCouper](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/DanCouper)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/6 "2019-05-23T13:16:40Z")

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You are getting HTML instead of JSON as a response (this normally occurs when you hit an error page). This is what the error message means, the start of an HTML document looks like:

```auto
<!doctype html>
<html .................

```

And the character at position 0 is `<`

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**Author:** ![mcrombie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/mcrombie/32/118011_2.png) [@mcrombie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/mcrombie)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/7 "2019-08-13T21:17:50Z")

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I get an error whenever I try to use the show button. Is there another way?

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**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/8 "2019-08-13T21:57:01Z")

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What type of error are you getting?

Are you sure you don’t have errors in the code? If you open the console on Glitch (Ctrl + Shift + L) what do you see?

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**Author:** ![mcrombie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/mcrombie/32/118011_2.png) [@mcrombie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/mcrombie)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/9 "2019-08-14T21:31:38Z")

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It is the error that is the title of this post if i try to submit the main page. If I click show and use the app url, the error is

```auto
// running tests
Timeout has occurred
// tests completed

```

I don’t think there is any issue in the code. The console gives no indication of a problem.

I’ve been combing the forums and found a plethora of posts about this with people coming up with various ways they got it to work. None have worked for me so far.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/10 "2019-08-14T21:36:21Z")

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The `Unexpected token < in JSON at position 0` is from submitting the json file instead of the full page link. The `Timeout has occurred` is pointing to some error in your code. Please post a link to your Glitch project.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcrombie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/mcrombie/32/118011_2.png) [@mcrombie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/mcrombie)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/11 "2019-08-14T21:39:02Z")

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> **[Glitch](https://glitch.com/edit/#%21%2Febony-weaver%3Fpath%3Dpackage.json%3A1%3A0)**
>
> Combining automated deployment, instant hosting & collaborative editing, Glitch gets you straight to coding so you can build full-stack web apps, fast

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/12 "2019-08-14T21:41:29Z")

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That is a link to the `package.json` file. Please post the link to your project URL.

Edit:

This is the project page

```auto
https://glitch.com/edit/#!/ebony-weaver

```

This is the full page URL that you use to submit.  
`https://ebony-weaver.glitch.me`

@mcrombie Try this. Make sure you are logged into Glitch (try using a Github login if you have not) then make sure you are using the [correct starter link](https://glitch.com/#!/import/github/freeCodeCamp/boilerplate-npm).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/13 "2019-08-14T21:51:03Z")

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By the way, what challenge are you working on, you didn’t say?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcrombie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/mcrombie/32/118011_2.png) [@mcrombie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/mcrombie)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/14 "2019-08-14T21:51:51Z")

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This is for the author field challenge

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/15 "2019-08-14T21:54:21Z")

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OK so it is the Managing Packages with npm Challenges. Then you have to make sure you are using the correct starter project. Use the link I gave in my post above.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcrombie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/mcrombie/32/118011_2.png) [@mcrombie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/mcrombie)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/16 "2019-08-14T21:55:34Z")

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This worked! I am not sure why. Was it logging in through gitHub?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lasjorg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/lasjorg/32/280761_2.png) [@lasjorg](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/lasjorg)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/17 "2019-08-14T21:58:53Z")

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I think you just had the wrong starter project, but using a Github login seems to help to make sure the starter project gets imported correctly.

Anyway, good you fixed it. Just remember to always use the full page link for the submit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ILM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/ilm/32/363239_2.png) [@ILM](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ILM)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/unexpected-token-in-json-at-position-0-for-author-field/278976/18 "2021-01-16T12:58:40Z")

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Closed on January 16, 2021, 12:58pm UTC