std/json

JSON

The Json class provides powerful, native capabilities for parsing, manipulating, and generating JSON data in Autolang. Under the hood, it efficiently maps to standard C++ JSON handlers, making it both fast and memory-safe.

Parsing & Creating JSON

Parse JSON directly from a string or build JSON structures from scratch using built-in factory methods.

@import("std/json")

// 1. Parsing from a JSON string
val jsonStr = "{\"name\": \"Autolang\", \"fast\": true}"
val parsedData = Json.parse(jsonStr)

// 2. Creating an object from scratch
val user = Json.emptyObject()
user.set("username", Json.fromString("admin"))
user.set("age", Json.fromInt(25))

// 3. Stringifying the result
println(user.stringify(4)) // The argument specifies the indentation level

JSON Arrays & Nested Data

The JSON module natively supports arrays. You can iterate through them, add elements, or quickly convert them into strongly-typed Autolang arrays.

@import("std/json")

val config = Json.emptyObject()
val ports = Json.emptyArray()

ports.add(Json.fromInt(8080))
ports.add(Json.fromInt(3000))

config.set("ports", ports)

// Accessing array elements
val firstPort = config.get("ports").getAt(0).asInt()
println("First port is: " + firstPort)

// Converting to a native Autolang array
val nativePorts = ports.toIntArray()
println("Native array size: " + nativePorts.size())

Type Checking & Extraction

Since JSON data is inherently dynamic, use the type-checking methods (isString(), isNumber(), etc.) before extracting values to avoid runtime exceptions.

@import("std/json")

val response = Json.parse("""{
    "status": 200, 
    "message": "OK"
}""")

if (response.has("status")) {
    val statusNode = response.get("status")

    if (statusNode.isNumber()) {
        println("Status code: " + statusNode.asInt())
    }
}

Methods Reference

Creation & Parsing

Json.parse(text: String): Json — Parses a JSON formatted string.
Json.emptyObject(): Json — Creates a new, empty JSON object.
Json.emptyArray(): Json — Creates a new, empty JSON array.
Json.fromString(value: String): Json — Wraps a native String into a JSON node.
Json.fromInt(value: Int): Json — Wraps a native Int into a JSON node.
Json.fromFloat(value: Float): Json — Wraps a native Float into a JSON node.
Json.fromBool(value: Bool): Json — Wraps a native Bool into a JSON node.
Json.nullValue(): Json — Creates a JSON null value node.

Checking Types & Structure

has(key: String): Bool — Checks if a JSON object contains the specified key.
isObject(): Bool / isArray(): Bool / isString(): Bool / isNumber(): Bool / isBool(): Bool / isNull(): Bool / isInt(): Bool / isFloat(): Bool
keys(): Array<String> — Returns an array of keys present in the JSON object.

Accessing & Modifying

get(key: String): Json — Retrieves a JSON node by its object key.
set(key: String, value: Json) — Sets a JSON node under the specified key.
getAt(index: Int): Json — Retrieves a JSON node from an array by index.
add(value: Json) — Appends a JSON node to a JSON array.
getSize(): Int — Returns the number of elements in a JSON array.
remove(key: String): Bool — Removes a field by its key. Returns true if successful.
removeAt(index: Int): Bool — Removes an array element by index. Returns true if successful.
clear() — Clears all elements/fields from a JSON array or object.
clone(): Json — Creates a deep clone of the JSON node.

Extraction & Conversion

asString(): String / asInt(): Int / asFloat(): Float / asBool(): Bool
toIntArray(): Array<Int> / toFloatArray(): Array<Float> / toStringArray(): Array<String> / toBoolArray(): Array<Bool> / toJsonArray(): Array<Json>
toString(): String — Converts the JSON value node directly to a String representation.
stringify(indent: Int = -1): String — Serializes the JSON node. Provide a positive indent for pretty-printing.

Global Conversion Functions

jsonToClass<T>(json: Json): T — Converts a JSON node directly into an instance of class T.
jsonToArrayClass<T>(json: Json): Array<T> — Converts a JSON node into an array of class instances.