module JSON

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) ↑

JSON is a lightweight data-interchange format.

A JSON value is one of the following:

A JSON array or object may contain nested arrays, objects, and scalars to any depth:

{"foo": {"bar": 1, "baz": 2}, "bat": [0, 1, 2]}
[{"foo": 0, "bar": 1}, ["baz", 2]]

Using Module JSON ↑

To make module JSON available in your code, begin with:

require 'json'

All examples here assume that this has been done.

Parsing JSON ↑

You can parse a String containing JSON data using either of two methods:

where

The difference between the two methods is that JSON.parse! omits some checks and may not be safe for some source data; use it only for data from trusted sources. Use the safer method JSON.parse for less trusted sources.

Parsing JSON Arrays ↑

When source is a JSON array, JSON.parse by default returns a Ruby Array:

json = '["foo", 1, 1.0, 2.0e2, true, false, null]'
ruby = JSON.parse(json)
ruby # => ["foo", 1, 1.0, 200.0, true, false, nil]
ruby.class # => Array

The JSON array may contain nested arrays, objects, and scalars to any depth:

json = '[{"foo": 0, "bar": 1}, ["baz", 2]]'
JSON.parse(json) # => [{"foo"=>0, "bar"=>1}, ["baz", 2]]

Parsing JSON Objects ↑

When the source is a JSON object, JSON.parse by default returns a Ruby Hash:

json = '{"a": "foo", "b": 1, "c": 1.0, "d": 2.0e2, "e": true, "f": false, "g": null}'
ruby = JSON.parse(json)
ruby # => {"a"=>"foo", "b"=>1, "c"=>1.0, "d"=>200.0, "e"=>true, "f"=>false, "g"=>nil}
ruby.class # => Hash

The JSON object may contain nested arrays, objects, and scalars to any depth:

json = '{"foo": {"bar": 1, "baz": 2}, "bat": [0, 1, 2]}'
JSON.parse(json) # => {"foo"=>{"bar"=>1, "baz"=>2}, "bat"=>[0, 1, 2]}

Parsing JSON Scalars ↑

When the source is a JSON scalar (not an array or object), JSON.parse returns a Ruby scalar.

String:

ruby = JSON.parse('"foo"')
ruby # => 'foo'
ruby.class # => String

Integer:

ruby = JSON.parse('1')
ruby # => 1
ruby.class # => Integer

Float:

ruby = JSON.parse('1.0')
ruby # => 1.0
ruby.class # => Float
ruby = JSON.parse('2.0e2')
ruby # => 200
ruby.class # => Float

Boolean:

ruby = JSON.parse('true')
ruby # => true
ruby.class # => TrueClass
ruby = JSON.parse('false')
ruby # => false
ruby.class # => FalseClass

Null:

ruby = JSON.parse('null')
ruby # => nil
ruby.class # => NilClass

Parsing Options ↑

Input Options ↑

Option max_nesting (Integer) specifies the maximum nesting depth allowed; defaults to 100; specify false to disable depth checking.

With the default, false:

source = '[0, [1, [2, [3]]]]'
ruby = JSON.parse(source)
ruby # => [0, [1, [2, [3]]]]

Too deep:

# Raises JSON::NestingError (nesting of 2 is too deep):
JSON.parse(source, {max_nesting: 1})

Bad value:

# Raises TypeError (wrong argument type Symbol (expected Fixnum)):
JSON.parse(source, {max_nesting: :foo})

Option allow_nan (boolean) specifies whether to allow NaN, Infinity, and MinusInfinity in source; defaults to false.

With the default, false:

# Raises JSON::ParserError (225: unexpected token at '[NaN]'):
JSON.parse('[NaN]')
# Raises JSON::ParserError (232: unexpected token at '[Infinity]'):
JSON.parse('[Infinity]')
# Raises JSON::ParserError (248: unexpected token at '[-Infinity]'):
JSON.parse('[-Infinity]')

Allow:

source = '[NaN, Infinity, -Infinity]'
ruby = JSON.parse(source, {allow_nan: true})
ruby # => [NaN, Infinity, -Infinity]
Output Options ↑

Option symbolize_names (boolean) specifies whether returned Hash keys should be Symbols; defaults to false (use Strings).

With the default, false:

source = '{"a": "foo", "b": 1.0, "c": true, "d": false, "e": null}'
ruby = JSON.parse(source)
ruby # => {"a"=>"foo", "b"=>1.0, "c"=>true, "d"=>false, "e"=>nil}

Use Symbols:

ruby = JSON.parse(source, {symbolize_names: true})
ruby # => {:a=>"foo", :b=>1.0, :c=>true, :d=>false, :e=>nil}

Option object_class (Class) specifies the Ruby class to be used for each JSON object; defaults to Hash.

With the default, Hash:

source = '{"a": "foo", "b": 1.0, "c": true, "d": false, "e": null}'
ruby = JSON.parse(source)
ruby.class # => Hash

Use class OpenStruct:

ruby = JSON.parse(source, {object_class: OpenStruct})
ruby # => #<OpenStruct a="foo", b=1.0, c=true, d=false, e=nil>

Option array_class (Class) specifies the Ruby class to be used for each JSON array; defaults to Array.

With the default, Array:

source = '["foo", 1.0, true, false, null]'
ruby = JSON.parse(source)
ruby.class # => Array

Use class Set:

ruby = JSON.parse(source, {array_class: Set})
ruby # => #<Set: {"foo", 1.0, true, false, nil}>

Option create_additions (boolean) specifies whether to use JSON additions in parsing. See JSON Additions.

Generating JSON ↑

To generate a Ruby String containing JSON data, use method JSON.generate(source, opts), where

Generating JSON from Arrays ↑

When the source is a Ruby Array, JSON.generate returns a String containing a JSON array:

ruby = [0, 's', :foo]
json = JSON.generate(ruby)
json # => '[0,"s","foo"]'

The Ruby Array array may contain nested arrays, hashes, and scalars to any depth:

ruby = [0, [1, 2], {foo: 3, bar: 4}]
json = JSON.generate(ruby)
json # => '[0,[1,2],{"foo":3,"bar":4}]'

Generating JSON from Hashes ↑

When the source is a Ruby Hash, JSON.generate returns a String containing a JSON object:

ruby = {foo: 0, bar: 's', baz: :bat}
json = JSON.generate(ruby)
json # => '{"foo":0,"bar":"s","baz":"bat"}'

The Ruby Hash array may contain nested arrays, hashes, and scalars to any depth:

ruby = {foo: [0, 1], bar: {baz: 2, bat: 3}, bam: :bad}
json = JSON.generate(ruby)
json # => '{"foo":[0,1],"bar":{"baz":2,"bat":3},"bam":"bad"}'

Generating JSON from Other Objects ↑

When the source is neither an Array nor a Hash, the generated JSON data depends on the class of the source.

When the source is a Ruby Integer or Float, JSON.generate returns a String containing a JSON number:

JSON.generate(42) # => '42'
JSON.generate(0.42) # => '0.42'

When the source is a Ruby String, JSON.generate returns a String containing a JSON string (with double-quotes):

JSON.generate('A string') # => '"A string"'

When the source is true, false or nil, JSON.generate returns a String containing the corresponding JSON token:

JSON.generate(true) # => 'true'
JSON.generate(false) # => 'false'
JSON.generate(nil) # => 'null'

When the source is none of the above, JSON.generate returns a String containing a JSON string representation of the source:

JSON.generate(:foo) # => '"foo"'
JSON.generate(Complex(0, 0)) # => '"0+0i"'
JSON.generate(Dir.new('.')) # => '"#<Dir>"'

Generating Options ↑

Input Options ↑

Option allow_nan (boolean) specifies whether NaN, Infinity, and -Infinity may be generated; defaults to false.

With the default, false:

# Raises JSON::GeneratorError (920: NaN not allowed in JSON):
JSON.generate(JSON::NaN)
# Raises JSON::GeneratorError (917: Infinity not allowed in JSON):
JSON.generate(JSON::Infinity)
# Raises JSON::GeneratorError (917: -Infinity not allowed in JSON):
JSON.generate(JSON::MinusInfinity)

Allow:

ruby = [Float::NaN, Float::Infinity, Float::MinusInfinity]
JSON.generate(ruby, allow_nan: true) # => '[NaN,Infinity,-Infinity]'

Option max_nesting (Integer) specifies the maximum nesting depth in obj; defaults to 100.

With the default, 100:

obj = [[[[[[0]]]]]]
JSON.generate(obj) # => '[[[[[[0]]]]]]'

Too deep:

# Raises JSON::NestingError (nesting of 2 is too deep):
JSON.generate(obj, max_nesting: 2)
Escaping Options ↑

Options script_safe (boolean) specifies wether '\u2028', '\u2029' and '/' should be escaped as to make the JSON object safe to interpolate in script tags.

Options ascii_only (boolean) specifies wether all characters outside the ASCII range should be escaped.

Output Options ↑

The default formatting options generate the most compact JSON data, all on one line and with no whitespace.

You can use these formatting options to generate JSON data in a more open format, using whitespace. See also JSON.pretty_generate.

In this example, obj is used first to generate the shortest JSON data (no whitespace), then again with all formatting options specified:

obj = {foo: [:bar, :baz], bat: {bam: 0, bad: 1}}
json = JSON.generate(obj)
puts 'Compact:', json
opts = {
  array_nl: "\n",
  object_nl: "\n",
  indent: '  ',
  space_before: ' ',
  space: ' '
}
puts 'Open:', JSON.generate(obj, opts)

Output:

Compact:
{"foo":["bar","baz"],"bat":{"bam":0,"bad":1}}
Open:
{
  "foo" : [
    "bar",
    "baz"
],
  "bat" : {
    "bam" : 0,
    "bad" : 1
  }
}

JSON Additions ↑

When you “round trip” a non-String object from Ruby to JSON and back, you have a new String, instead of the object you began with:

ruby0 = Range.new(0, 2)
json = JSON.generate(ruby0)
json # => '0..2"'
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json)
ruby1 # => '0..2'
ruby1.class # => String

You can use JSON additions to preserve the original object. The addition is an extension of a ruby class, so that:

This example shows a Range being generated into JSON and parsed back into Ruby, both without and with the addition for Range:

ruby = Range.new(0, 2)
# This passage does not use the addition for Range.
json0 = JSON.generate(ruby)
ruby0 = JSON.parse(json0)
# This passage uses the addition for Range.
require 'json/add/range'
json1 = JSON.generate(ruby)
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json1, create_additions: true)
# Make a nice display.
display = <<~EOT
  Generated JSON:
    Without addition:  #{json0} (#{json0.class})
    With addition:     #{json1} (#{json1.class})
  Parsed JSON:
    Without addition:  #{ruby0.inspect} (#{ruby0.class})
    With addition:     #{ruby1.inspect} (#{ruby1.class})
EOT
puts display

This output shows the different results:

Generated JSON:
  Without addition:  "0..2" (String)
  With addition:     {"json_class":"Range","a":[0,2,false]} (String)
Parsed JSON:
  Without addition:  "0..2" (String)
  With addition:     0..2 (Range)

The JSON module includes additions for certain classes. You can also craft custom additions. See Custom JSON Additions.

Built-in Additions ↑

The JSON module includes additions for certain classes. To use an addition, require its source:

To reduce punctuation clutter, the examples below show the generated JSON via puts, rather than the usual inspect,

BigDecimal:

require 'json/add/bigdecimal'
ruby0 = BigDecimal(0) # 0.0
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"BigDecimal","b":"27:0.0"}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 0.0
ruby1.class # => BigDecimal

Complex:

require 'json/add/complex'
ruby0 = Complex(1+0i) # 1+0i
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Complex","r":1,"i":0}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 1+0i
ruby1.class # Complex

Date:

require 'json/add/date'
ruby0 = Date.today # 2020-05-02
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Date","y":2020,"m":5,"d":2,"sg":2299161.0}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 2020-05-02
ruby1.class # Date

DateTime:

require 'json/add/date_time'
ruby0 = DateTime.now # 2020-05-02T10:38:13-05:00
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"DateTime","y":2020,"m":5,"d":2,"H":10,"M":38,"S":13,"of":"-5/24","sg":2299161.0}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 2020-05-02T10:38:13-05:00
ruby1.class # DateTime

Exception (and its subclasses including RuntimeError):

require 'json/add/exception'
ruby0 = Exception.new('A message') # A message
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Exception","m":"A message","b":null}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # A message
ruby1.class # Exception
ruby0 = RuntimeError.new('Another message') # Another message
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"RuntimeError","m":"Another message","b":null}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # Another message
ruby1.class # RuntimeError

OpenStruct:

require 'json/add/ostruct'
ruby0 = OpenStruct.new(name: 'Matz', language: 'Ruby') # #<OpenStruct name="Matz", language="Ruby">
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"OpenStruct","t":{"name":"Matz","language":"Ruby"}}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # #<OpenStruct name="Matz", language="Ruby">
ruby1.class # OpenStruct

Range:

require 'json/add/range'
ruby0 = Range.new(0, 2) # 0..2
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Range","a":[0,2,false]}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 0..2
ruby1.class # Range

Rational:

require 'json/add/rational'
ruby0 = Rational(1, 3) # 1/3
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Rational","n":1,"d":3}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 1/3
ruby1.class # Rational

Regexp:

require 'json/add/regexp'
ruby0 = Regexp.new('foo') # (?-mix:foo)
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Regexp","o":0,"s":"foo"}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # (?-mix:foo)
ruby1.class # Regexp

Set:

require 'json/add/set'
ruby0 = Set.new([0, 1, 2]) # #<Set: {0, 1, 2}>
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Set","a":[0,1,2]}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # #<Set: {0, 1, 2}>
ruby1.class # Set

Struct:

require 'json/add/struct'
Customer = Struct.new(:name, :address) # Customer
ruby0 = Customer.new("Dave", "123 Main") # #<struct Customer name="Dave", address="123 Main">
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Customer","v":["Dave","123 Main"]}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # #<struct Customer name="Dave", address="123 Main">
ruby1.class # Customer

Symbol:

require 'json/add/symbol'
ruby0 = :foo # foo
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Symbol","s":"foo"}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # foo
ruby1.class # Symbol

Time:

require 'json/add/time'
ruby0 = Time.now # 2020-05-02 11:28:26 -0500
json = JSON.generate(ruby0) # {"json_class":"Time","s":1588436906,"n":840560000}
ruby1 = JSON.parse(json, create_additions: true) # 2020-05-02 11:28:26 -0500
ruby1.class # Time

Custom JSON Additions ↑

In addition to the JSON additions provided, you can craft JSON additions of your own, either for Ruby built-in classes or for user-defined classes.

Here’s a user-defined class Foo:

class Foo
  attr_accessor :bar, :baz
  def initialize(bar, baz)
    self.bar = bar
    self.baz = baz
  end
end

Here’s the JSON addition for it:

# Extend class Foo with JSON addition.
class Foo
  # Serialize Foo object with its class name and arguments
  def to_json(*args)
    {
      JSON.create_id  => self.class.name,
      'a'             => [ bar, baz ]
    }.to_json(*args)
  end
  # Deserialize JSON string by constructing new Foo object with arguments.
  def self.json_create(object)
    new(*object['a'])
  end
end

Demonstration:

require 'json'
# This Foo object has no custom addition.
foo0 = Foo.new(0, 1)
json0 = JSON.generate(foo0)
obj0 = JSON.parse(json0)
# Lood the custom addition.
require_relative 'foo_addition'
# This foo has the custom addition.
foo1 = Foo.new(0, 1)
json1 = JSON.generate(foo1)
obj1 = JSON.parse(json1, create_additions: true)
#   Make a nice display.
display = <<~EOT
  Generated JSON:
    Without custom addition:  #{json0} (#{json0.class})
    With custom addition:     #{json1} (#{json1.class})
  Parsed JSON:
    Without custom addition:  #{obj0.inspect} (#{obj0.class})
    With custom addition:     #{obj1.inspect} (#{obj1.class})
EOT
puts display

Output:

Generated JSON:
  Without custom addition:  "#<Foo:0x0000000006534e80>" (String)
  With custom addition:     {"json_class":"Foo","a":[0,1]} (String)
Parsed JSON:
  Without custom addition:  "#<Foo:0x0000000006534e80>" (String)
  With custom addition:     #<Foo:0x0000000006473bb8 @bar=0, @baz=1> (Foo)