CL-JSON

What is JSON?

JSON is a language independent text format for data-interchange. JSON is especially convenient in web applications, since it is a subset of the literal object notation of ECMAScript. It can also be an alternative to XML. JSON has good open-source support in many languages.

Why not use XML instead?

Some find JSON lighter and more simple, see this comparison.

Why not use s-expressions instead?

Many people find parentheses difficult, but brackets and braces easy. That has led to many implementations of JSON. There is no format based on s-expressions implemented in over 20 languages (yet!).
A simple and very fast JSON parser in JavaScript looks like this:
```
eval('(' + aJSONtext + ')')
```
Even a seasoned lisper may find it difficult to make a shorter JavaScript parser for s-expressions.

Mailing Lists

cl-json-devel
for developers and users.
cl-json-announce
for announcements.

Documentation

You can use any of these functions:

    decode-json
    decode-json-strict
    decode-json-from-string
    encode-json
    encode-json-to-string

    json-bind, use like this:

(test test-json-bind
  (json-bind (hello hi ciao) "{\"hello\":100,\"hi\":5}"
    (is (= hello 100))
    (is (= hi 5))
    (is-false ciao)))

Json-rpc, implements the json-rpc specification. Easily add it to your favourite webserver.

    defun-json-rpc
    export-as-json-rpc
    clear-exported
    invoke-rpc

Tweaking

    *json-symbols-package* Default keyword, set to a package or nil for current package.
    *json-object-factory* Change how objects are decoded to Lisp.
    *use-strict-json-rules*

For examples, see the FiveAM based testcases.

Where is it

A Darcs repository is available.

darcs get http://common-lisp.net/project/cl-json/darcs/cl-json

The latest release can be downloaded here.

You can also install it by asdf-install.

History has shown that the darcs version is probably better than the latest release.

Dependencies

cl-json no longer depends on parenscript.

License

MIT-license

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