JSON

link: Web Data Handling and Formats

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

Overview

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight, text-based, language-independent data interchange format, derived from JavaScript but used by many programming languages. JSON is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate.

Key Features of JSON

Key Features

• Text-based: JSON is purely text, which can be read and parsed by a wide variety of programming languages.
• Human-readable: The format is self-describing and easy to understand.
• Lightweight: JSON structures are compact, which makes them ideal for network transmissions.
• Language-Independent: Though derived from JavaScript, JSON is supported natively or through libraries in most major programming languages.

JSON Syntax

JSON Syntax

JSON is built on two structures:

1. Objects: A collection of name/value pairs. In various languages, this is realized as an object, record, struct, dictionary, hash table, keyed list, or associative array.
2. Arrays: An ordered list of values. In most languages, this is realized as an array, vector, list, or sequence.

Here is a basic example of JSON:

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "age": 30,
  "isEmployed": true,
  "address": {
    "street": "1234 Elm St",
    "city": "Somewhere",
    "state": "CA"
  },
  "phoneNumbers": [
    {"type": "home", "number": "212 555-1234"},
    {"type": "fax", "number": "646 555-4567"}
  ]
}

Data Types Supported:

• Strings: Must be written in double quotes.
• Numbers: Integer or floating-point.
• Objects: An unordered set of name/value pairs.
• Arrays: An ordered collection of values.
• Booleans: true or false.
• Null: An empty value, written as null

JSON vs XML

Comparison

Feature	JSON	XML
Verbosity	Lightweight and less verbose	More verbose, leading to potentially larger files
Readability	High readability and ease of use	Readable but can be cumbersome due to verbosity
Complexity	Lower complexity, easier to parse	Higher complexity, robust parsing required
Data Structures	Ideal for array and key-value pairs	Better for complex hierarchical data structures
Metadata Support	Limited metadata capabilities	Extensive metadata support through attributes
Scalability	Highly scalable for web and mobile applications	Scalable but better suited for enterprise systems
Security	Basic security suitable for web data	Advanced security features like support for XML Signature
Interoperability	High with web technologies	High across various software and systems
Use Cases	APIs, web configurations, client-server apps	Complex document-based applications, enterprise data exchange
Encoding Support	Unicode support directly	Extensive support for various encodings

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