# Services_JSON
PHP implementation of json_encode/decode for PHP 7.2 and higher.  This library works with and without quoted keys.

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This package provides a simple encoder and decoder for JSON notation. It is intended for use with client-side Javascript
applications that make use of HTTPRequest to perform server communication functions - data can be encoded into JSON 
notation for use in a client-side javascript, or decoded from incoming Javascript requests. JSON format is native to 
Javascript, and can be directly eval() with no further parsing overhead.

## So, what is the goal with this version?

While this version doesn't have a better performance than **json_encode()** and **json_decode()** available as 
extension, but it has the next features:

- [x]  it doesn't require an extension. If you can't install ext-json, then you can use this version.
- [x] **it works with JSON with unquoted keys** (for example JavaScript notation), {aaa:2,bbb:"hello"}
- [x] **it could also work with unquoted values**  {"aaa":2,"bbb":hello}
- [x] **it could also work with unwrapped content** "aaa":2,"bbb":"hello" instead of {aaa:2,bbb:"hello"}
- [x] It is a simple .php file with no dependency.

## Usage

### Getting started using composer

1. Install the library using composer
```shell
composer require eftec/services_json
```
2. Include the dependency
```php
use eftec\ServicesJson\Services_JSON;
include '../vendor/autoload.php';
```

See the folder examples for further examples

### Getting started without composer

1. Copy this file: [Services_JSON/Services_JSON.php](https://github.com/EFTEC/Services_JSON/blob/main/src/Services_JSON.php)

2. Include the file

   ```php
   use eftec\ServicesJson\Services_JSON;
   include 'Services_JSON.php'; // or where is located the file.
   ```


### Decode

Decode a JSON string into a stdclass or an associative array

```php
$json='{"hello":{"a":2,"b":3},"world":[1,2,3,"aaa"]}';
var_dump(Services_JSON::decode($json)); // as stdclass
var_dump(Services_JSON::decode($json,Services_JSON::GET_ARRAY)); // as array
```
It also works with unquoted keys

```php

$json='{hello:{a:2,b:3},world:[1,2,3,"aaa","bbbb"]}';  // the keys are unquoted.
var_dump(Services_JSON::decode($json)); // as stdclass
var_dump(Services_JSON::decode($json,Services_JSON::GET_ARRAY)); // as array
```

#### Json unwrapped.

With the flag **Services_JSON::DECODE_FIX_ROOT**, it also works when the origin text misses [] and {} at the start of the code.
Note, this feature is not foolproof, for example  "[1,2,3],[4,5,6]" will not wrap as "[[1,2,3],[4,5,6]]" 

```
{"a":222,"b:"ccc"}  # normal json
"a":222,"b:"ccc"    # json without the root parenthesis.    
```

```php
Services_JSON::decode('1,2,3',Services_JSON::GET_ARRAY | Services_JSON::DECODE_FIX_ROOT); // returns [1,2,3]
Services_JSON::decode('"k1":"v1", k2:2',Services_JSON::GET_ARRAY | Services_JSON::DECODE_FIX_ROOT) // returns [ 'k1' => 'v1','k2'=>2]
```

> Note: DECODE_FIX_ROOT flag detects if the near character is ":" or ",". If the closest character is ":", then it returns
> an object, otherwise it returns a list.  If there is none, then it returns a list.

#### Json with unquoted values

With the flag **Services_JSON::DECODE_NO_QUOTE** it also works when the string values are not quoted.

>Note: invisible characters at the beginner and at the end (tabs, line carriages) will be trimmed.

```php

Services_JSON::decode('{"a":aaa,"b":bbbb,"c": aaaaa}'
  , Services_JSON::GET_ARRAY | Services_JSON::DECODE_NO_QUOTE) // ['a'=>'aaa','b'=>'bbbb','c' => 'aaaaa']
```



### Encode

Encode transform a value (array, object, primitive value, etc.) into a json expression (a string)

```php
$array=["hello"=>['a'=>2,'b'=>3],'world'=>[1,2,3,"aaa","bbb"]];
$obj=(object)$array;
var_dump(Services_JSON::encode($array));  // encode an associative array
var_dump(Services_JSON::encode($obj)); // encode an object
```


## Changelog
* 2.5 
  * now allows "@" and "." for key values. 
* 2.4 
  * update requirements to php 7.4 
  * added more type hinting (type validation)
* 2.3.2
  * Added flag to decode() DECODE_NO_QUOTE 
* 2.3.1
  * deleted unused code
  * fixed comments.
  * 25% of the code has been refactored.
* 2.3
  * Fixed a typo with a comment.
  * added phpunit. The entire code is tested but special codification.
* 2.2
  * Now the library is static, so you can call the methods without creating an instance.
  * If you want to work with the non-static library, then install 1.1
* 1.1
  * It works with PHP 7.2 and higher (including PHP 8.0 and 8.1)
  * It doesn't require PECL to work.
  * The code was cleaned
  * Web header is removed.
  * Method decode() could return an associative array.
* 1.0.3-1.0.0 PECL version. It only works with PHP 4.x and PHP 5.x