Node.js - Why does JSON.parse obfuscate objects in response body?

Question

When I use JSON.parse and log out some fetched data with the require module, nested objects are logged [Object]. Here is an example (currently using Node version 10.15):

const request = require("request");

const url = "https://www.reddit.com/r/javascript.json";

request(url, (error, response) => {
  const data = JSON.parse(response.body);
  console.log(data)
});

{ kind: 'Listing',
  data:
   { modhash: '',
     dist: 26,
     children:
      [ [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object],
        [Object] ],
     after: 't3_bf4cl6',
     before: null } }

I was looking at this question: JSON.parse returns [object] from JSON

The person asking is curious why after JSON.parse, objects get logged as [Object]. The top answer states that the reason JSON.parse hides the data is for readability. But the answer doesn't explain a way to override the default behavior.

How do I get JSON.parse to log the full data? Is there a way to override the default behavior?

This has nothing to do with `JSON.parse()`. That returns a JavaScript object, and you're logging it out through the `console` mechanism. *That* is what's responsible for showing you the object value that way. — Pointy, Apr 20 '19 at 20:15
You can try `console.dir()` instead of `console.log()`, or write your own function to traverse the object graph and dump out the value exactly how you want to see it. — Pointy, Apr 20 '19 at 20:16
here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10729276/how-can-i-get-the-full-object-in-node-jss-console-log-rather-than-object — 1565986223, Apr 20 '19 at 20:18
@Pointy `console.dir` still logs out the JSON in the same way (with [Object]) — Joel Hoelting, Apr 20 '19 at 20:23
@JoelHoelting OK well that `util.inspect()` thing that a couple other people pointed out seems like what you want. — Pointy, Apr 20 '19 at 20:24
@teroi: `console.log(util.inspect(data, {showHidden: false, depth: null}));` did what I wanted. I really don't understand the reason behind the obfuscation in console.log. It doesn't make my life easier (but that's a subjective opinion I suppose). — Joel Hoelting, Apr 20 '19 at 20:25
The `console()` mechanism has no standard; it's something that various JavaScript platforms provide (browsers, Node) but it's pretty much up to the individual implementors to decide what it does. — Pointy, Apr 20 '19 at 20:28
@Pointy: thanks for the clarification. I guess I would have to ask the node developers why they decided to implement `console()` to hide nested objects. — Joel Hoelting, Apr 20 '19 at 20:34

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 20 '19 at 21:51

5

If logging response.body directly is not formatted the way you like, and that is why you are doing JSON.parse, then to log the full formatted object do console.log(JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(response.body), null, 2))

answered Apr 20 '19 at 21:51

Catalyst

3,143
16
20

baao · Answer 2 · 2019-04-20T22:16:01.273

3

That's not JSON.parse, but console.log's default behavior for nested objects. You can use node's util.inspect to log with depth

const {inspect} = require('util');
console.log(inspect(obj, false, null, true));

Or as a function

function log(...data) {
  data.forEach(d => console.log(inspect(d, false, null, true)));
}

edited Apr 20 '19 at 22:16

answered Apr 20 '19 at 22:06

baao

71,625
17
143
203

Node.js - Why does JSON.parse obfuscate objects in response body?

2 Answers2