JSON Extractor - JSONPath

What is JSONPath? #

The JSONPath specification was created in 2007 by Stefan Goessner as an alternative to the XPath language used for accessing data in XML documents. Goessner created JSONPath as a way of accessing and manipulating data in JSON documents using syntax similar to XPath. Over the years, JSONPath became increasingly popular among developers working with web and mobile applications that use JSON as their data exchange format. The specification of JSONPath was adopted by several popular JavaScript libraries and tools such as jQuery and JSONPath+.

In 2012, the JSONPath specification was adopted as an Internet standard by the Open Web Foundation, which helped accelerate its adoption and acceptance in the developer community. Today, JSONPath remains a popular tool for accessing and manipulating data in JSON documents used in web and mobile applications. It is compatible with a wide variety of programming languages and is utilized across various contexts such as data analysis, system integration, and process automation.

What is JSON? #

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight and easy-to-read text format for exchanging data. It is commonly used to transmit information between an application client and a server or to transmit data between applications. JSON represents data in the form of nested objects and lists of objects, and uses a clear and easy-to-read syntax based on keys { } to define objects and brackets [ ] to define lists.

{
  "nombre": "Juan",
  "edad": 30,
  "direccion": {
    "calle": "Calle Falsa",
    "numero": "123",
    "ciudad": "Buenos Aires"
  },
  "hobbies": ["futbol", "pintura", "viajes"]
}

Example:

{
  "nombre": "Juan",
  "edad": 30,
  "direccion": {
    "calle": "Calle Falsa",
    "numero": "123",
    "ciudad": "Buenos Aires"
  },
  "hobbies": ["futbol", "pintura", "viajes"]
}

We can use the following JSONPath expression to extract these values:

$.nombre              //Juan
$.edad                //30
$.direccion.calle     //Calle Falsa
$.direccion.numero    //123
$.direccion.ciudad    //Buenos Aires
$.hobbies             //["futbol","pintura","viajes"]

What is JSONPath Query? #

JSONPath Query is a query language used to access and manipulate data in JSON documents. It is similar to JSONPath, but uses a slightly different syntax. JSONPath Query supports a variety of functions and operators that allow for more complex queries on JSON objects. For example, the expression $.hobbies[?(@=='painting')] would return an array if the JSON object has painting as one of its hobbies.

What other use cases might JSONPath Query have? #

Let’s consider a more complex example, such as the following:

[{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "age": 35,
  "address": {
    "street": "123 Main St",
    "city": "Anytown",
    "state": "WA"
  },
  "phoneNumbers": [
    {
      "type": "mobile",
      "number": "555-551-1234"
    },
    {
      "type": "home",
      "number": "555-552-5678"
    }
  ],
  "email": "john.doe@example.com"
},{
  "name": "Peter Doe",
  "age": 34,
  "address": {
    "street": "123 Second St",
    "city": "RacconCity",
    "state": "TX"
  },
  "phoneNumbers": [
    {
      "type": "mobile",
      "number": "555-553-1234"
    },
    {
      "type": "home",
      "number": "555-554-5678"
    }
  ],
  "email": "peter.doe@example.com"
},{
  "name": "Rick Doe",
  "age": 36,
  "address": {
    "street": "123 Third St",
    "city": "Springfield",
    "state": "NJ"
  },
  "phoneNumbers": [
    {
      "type": "mobile",
      "number": "555-555-1234"
    },
    {
      "type": "home",
      "number": "555-556-5678"
    }
  ],
  "email": "rick.doe@example.com"
}]

To evaluate these sentences, I recommend using a receiver View results tree and use the view in JSON Path Tester. Introduce the sentence into the field JSON Path Expression, then click on the button Test.

Conclusion #

JSONPath and JSONPath Query are very powerful tools for extracting a value or multiple values or evaluation of the same to satisfy one or several criteria, always remember to practice before developing your sentence or expression. It is always good to verify the criteria with different types of responses to obtain conclusive results. You need to practice until next time!