JavaScript

Understanding JSON Array vs JSON Object

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This example explains the difference between a JSON Array and a JSON Object. A JSON Array begins with "[" and ends with "]", whereas a JSON Object begins with "{" and ends with "}".

Elements contained in a JSON array are accessed by index, whereas elements in a JSON object are typically accessed by name (but can also be accessed by index).

JavaScript

var success = false;

// A JSON array should be loaded into a Chilkat JSON array,
// whereas a JSON object should be loaded into a Chilkat JSON object.

// A JSON array may contain objects, and a JSON object may contains arrays, but
// it is the top-level (outermost) element that defines whether the JSON
// document is an array or an object.
// An array begins and ends with "[" ... "]"
// An object begins and ends with "{" ... "}"

// For example, an array containing 2 objects:
var strJsonArray = "[ { \"name\": \"Bill\" }, { \"name\": \"Ted\" } ]";

// Load it into a JSON array.
var jsonA = new CkJsonArray();
success = jsonA.Load(strJsonArray);
console.log("number of array elements: " + jsonA.Size);

// This is an object containing an array:
var strJsonObj = "{ \"characters\": [ \"Bill\", \"Ted\" ] }";

// Load it into a JSON object.
var jsonO = new CkJsonObject();
success = jsonO.Load(strJsonObj);
console.log("number of object members: " + jsonO.Size);