Using JSON in .Net

Question

What libraries are available to handle JSON in .Net? I've seen this: http://james.newtonking.com/projects/json-net.aspx but would prefer a native library, if possible.

What do you mean by "native" library? Method names written in some local language instead of English? — Mehrdad Afshari, Feb 05 '10 at 18:51
@Mehrdad: He means one written entirely on the .NET framework, that does not rely on API calls. — John Gietzen, Feb 05 '10 at 18:57
Nothing. I use JSON.NET myself. I think the OP is confused. Maybe he means built-in-to-.NET — John Gietzen, Feb 05 '10 at 19:50

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 05 '10 at 18:52

2

I have been using the JavaScriptSerializer some to expose data structures from a WCF service to Ajax calls, and it has been working out quite well.

answered Feb 05 '10 at 18:52

Fredrik Mörk

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:48

The JavaScriptSerializer ~~has been marked as obsolete in .NET 3.5 and~~ but you could use the DataContractJsonSerializer.

EDIT: See this question on SO about whether JavaScriptSerializer is actually obsolete going forward in the .NET BCL. It looks like JavaScriptSerializer is no longer obsolete in .NET 3.5 SP1 - so it's probably fine to use that. If in doubt, you can use the contract serializer from WCF, or JSON.NET (if you're willing to include 3rd party code).

Here's some wrapper code to make using DataContractJsonSerializer nicer.

using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.Runtime.Serialization.Json;

public class JSONHelper
{
    public static string Serialize<T>(T obj)
    {
        DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = 
              new DataContractJsonSerializer(obj.GetType());
        using( MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream() ) 
        {
            serializer.WriteObject(ms, obj);
            string retVal = Encoding.Default.GetString(ms.ToArray());
            return retVal;
        }
    }

    public static T Deserialize<T>(string json)
    {
        using( MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(json)) )
        {
            DataContractJsonSerializer serializer =
                  new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(T));
            T obj = (T)serializer.ReadObject(ms);
            ms.Close();
            return obj;
        }
    }
}

The code above is courtesy of: http://pietschsoft.com/post/2008/02/NET-35-JSON-Serialization-using-the-DataContractJsonSerializer.aspx,

I have altered it from it's original form to use best practices for object disposal (the using pattern .NET supports).

-1 for not wrapping streams in `using` blocks, and for creating an instance you later overwrite in the deserialize. — John Saunders, Feb 05 '10 at 18:58
Good catch, John. Do you agree about using this class, though? — Steven Sudit, Feb 05 '10 at 19:00
@John Saunders: A fair ping. I've corrected that - although I will say I am not the original author of that code. Although I did change it in my own adapted implementation. It was just easier to find the site than my code :) — LBushkin, Feb 05 '10 at 19:00
@John: Thanks. @LBushkin: You could probably drop the `ms.Close();`, since it should be closed automatically as it leaves the using block. — Steven Sudit, Feb 05 '10 at 19:45
You are referencing `obj` before you declare it in the `Deserialize` method — Kevin DiTraglia, Oct 03 '13 at 13:05

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 05 '10 at 18:51

0

If you can require .Net 3.5, use System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer

answered Feb 05 '10 at 18:51

Frank Schwieterman

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Using JSON in .Net

3 Answers3