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"unix" isn't a file format, nor is it in competition with either XML or JSON, so claiming it will "survive" either is a meaningless boast.

While I don’t disagree with you, if you look at the comment above this you’ll see @enriquto mentions just dumping lists to a text file. Pretty sure that’s what was implied by ‘unix’: use a simple text file that is dumped to the fs that can be easily parsed by standard tools on any Unix-like.

JSON is usually mocked by people who don't get to use Javascript objects natively. The benefits aren't obvious or tangible to them.

XML is native to nothing. It's annoying to use everywhere.

UNIX tools just don't compare. Sure, they stick around, because sometimes they're the easiest tool for some job, until they aren't and you regret starting out with them.

In a few years, Javascript and Javascript-compatible languages are likely to be bigger than ever before. A whole generation of developers has been trained mainly on them. Billions of dollars have been invested into the ecosystem. Whether we like it or not, that's the reality. For that reason alone, JSON will stick around.

People mock xml because it's an over complicated mess with too many features.