Assignment 8

What is JSON?
JSON is a file format used to store information in an organized and
easy-to-access manner. Its full form is JavaScript Object Notation. It
offers a human-readable collection of data that can be accessed
logically. Its filename extension for written programming code is
.json. The Internet media type for JSON is application/json, and its
Uniform Type Identifier is public.json.

Why use JSON?

Here are the important benefits/ pros of using JSON:
● Provide support for all browsers
● Easy to read and write
● Straightforward syntax
● You can natively parse in JavaScript using eval() function
● Easy to create and manipulate
● Supported by all major JavaScript frameworks
● Supported by most backend technologies
● JSON is recognized natively by JavaScript
● It allows you to transmit and serialize structured data using a
network connection.
● You can use it with modern programming languages.
● JSON is text which can be converted to any object of JavaScript
into JSON and send this JSON to the server.

Features of JSON
Easy to use – JSON API offers high-level facade, which helps you to
simplify commonly used use-cases.
Performance – JSON is quite fast as it consumes very less memory
space, which is especially suitable for large object graphs or systems.
Free tool – JSON library is open source and free to use.
Doesn’t require to create mapping – Jackson API provides default
mapping for many objects to be serialized.
Clean JSON – Creates clean, and compatible JSON result that is
easy to read.
Dependency – JSON library does not require any other library for
processing.
Rules for JSON Syntax
Rules for JSON syntax are:
● Data should be in name/value pairs
● Data should be separated by commas
● Curly braces should hold objects
● Square brackets hold arrays

Data Types in JSON

Important data type used in JSON are:
Data Description
Type

Numbe It includes real number, integer or a floating number

r

String It consists of any text or Unicode double-quoted with

backslash escapement

Boolea The Boolean data type represents either True or False

n values

Null The Null value denotes that the associated variable doesn’t
have any value
Object It is a collection of key-value pairs and always separated
by a comma and enclosed in curly brackets.

Array It is an ordered sequence of values separated.

Number
● The number is a double-precision floating-point format which
depends on its implementation method.
● In JSON you can’t use Hexadecimal and Octal formats.
Following table displays number types:
Type Description

Integer Number 1-9, and 0. Both positive and negative numbers.

Fraction Fractions like 3

Exponent Exponent like e, e+

Syntax:
var json-object-name = { string : number_value,......}

Example:
var obj = {salary: 2600}

String
It is a series of double-quoted Unicode characters and having
backslash escaping.
The following table shows various string types:
Type Description
* Use for double quotation typing

/ Use for solidus

\ Use for reverse solidus

B Use to add backspace

F From feed

N To create a new line

R Use for carriage return

T To show horizontal tab

U Hexadecimal digits

Syntax:
var json-object-name = { string : "string value",…..}

Example:
var obj= {name: 'Andy'}

Boolean
It stores only true or false values.
Syntax:
var json-object-name = {string : true/false, …..}

Example:
var obj = {active: 'true'}
Array
● It is an ordered collection of values.
● You should use an array when the key names are sequential
integers.
● It should be enclosed inside square brackets which should be
separated by ‘,’ (comma)
Syntax:
[value, .......]

Example:
Showing an array storing multiple objects:
{
"eBooks":[
{
"language":"Pascal",
"edition":"third"
},
{
"language":"Python",
"edition":"four"
},
{
"language":"SQL",
"edition":"second"
}
]
}

JSON Object
A JSON Object is an entity in JSON which is enclosed in curly
brackets. It is written in the unordered set of name and value pairs in
which the name should be followed by “:” (colon), and the name/value
pairs need to be separated using “,” (comma). It can be used when
key names are arbitrary strings.
Syntax:
{ string : value, ….. }
Example:
{
"id": 110,
"language": "Python",
"price": 1900,
}

Whitespace
You can insert whitespace between a pair of tokens.
Example:
Syntax:
{string:" ",….}

Example:
var a = " Alex"; var b = "Steve";

Example of JSON
The given code example defines how to use JSON to store
information related to programming books along with edition and
author name.
{
"book":[
{
"id":"444",
"language":"C",
"edition":"First",
"author":"Dennis Ritchie "
},
{
"id":"555",
"language":"C++",
"edition":"second",
"author":" Bjarne Stroustrup "
}
]
}

Lets understand the JSON format with another JSON file example.
Here, JSON defines the first name, last name and id of a student.
{
"student": [

{
"id":"01",
"name": "Tom",
"lastname": "Price"
},

{
"id":"02",
"name": "Nick",
"lastname": "Thameson"
}
]
}

Application of JSON
Here are some common applications of JSON:
● Helps you to transfer data from a server
● Sample JSON file format helps in transmit and serialize all types
of structured data.
● Allows you to perform asynchronous data calls without the need
to do a page refresh
● Helps you to transmit data between a server and web
applications.
● It is widely used for JavaScript-based application, which includes
browser extension and websites.
● You can transmit data between the server and web application
using JSON.
● We can use JSON with modern programming languages.
 ● It is used for writing JavaScript-based applications that include
browser add-ons.
● Web services and Restful APIs use the JSON format to get
public data.

JSON Example
Below is a simple JSON example:
{
"student": [

{
"id":"01",
"name": "Tom",
"lastname": "Price"
},

{
"id":"02",
"name": "Nick",
"lastname": "Thameson"
}
]
}

What is JSON not?

● Sample JSON data file is not a document format.
● It is not a markup language.
● JSON does not provide a general serialization format.
● It is not a recurring or cyclical structure.
● It is also not an invisible structure.
Disadvantages of JSON
Here are few advantages of JSON:
● No namespace support, hence poor extensibility
● Limited development tools support
 ● No support for formal grammar definition

Summary
● JSON method is used to store information in an organized, and
easy-to-access manner.
● JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation.
● JSON Provides support for all browsers offers by many
languages.
● Douglas Crockford specified the JSON format in the early 2000s
● JSON API offers high-level facade, which helps you to simplify
commonly used use-cases
● The important rules for writing a JSON system is that data
should be written in name/value pairs.
● Number, String, Boolean, Null, Object, and Array are important
Data types used in JSON.
● It helps you to transfer data from a server.
● JSON object has a type whereas XML data is typeless
● JSON is not a document format
● No namespace support, hence poor extensibility
● JSONLint is an open-source project that is used as a validator
and reformatter for JSON.