JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), is a text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange. It is derived from the JavaScript scripting language for representing simple data structures and associative arrays, called objects. Despite its relationship to JavaScript, it is language-independent, with parsers available for many languages. The JSON format was originally specified by Douglas Crockford, and is described in RFC 4627. The official Internet media type for JSON is application/json. The JSON filename extension is .json. The JSON format is often used for serializing and transmitting structured data over a network connection. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, serving as an alternative to XML.

1. An Introduction to JSON
Ahmed Muzammil | @ahmedmzl
JavaScript Object Notation
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

2. What's inside
Introducing JSON
Why JSON
JSON Structures
Data in JSON
JSON Arrays, Objects
JSON Values, String, Number
Tools for Developers
JSON Data Example
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

3. JavaScript Object Notation
The fat free alternative to XML
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

4. Why JSON ??
• It's easy for humans to read and write
• It's also easy for computers to read and parse
• JSON's structure is significantly simple.
• Parsing efficiency is more when compared to XML
• Lighter and faster than XML as on-the-wire data format
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

5. JSON objects are "typed" vs. XML is "typeless"
XML JSON
All
Strings boolean
string array
number
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

6. JSON JavaScript Object Notation
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

7. JSON ➡ Native data form for JavaScript
• Data is readily accessible • XML data needs parsing
as JSON objects
• Needs to use tedious
• Retrieving values from DOM APIs and
JSON is as easy as processing power to
importing an object in assign to variables
JavaScript
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

8. JSON is built on two structures
• A collection of name/value pairs
• Realization (as in various programming languages)
• Object, Record, Struct, Dictionary, HashTable, Keyed
List, or Associative Array
• An ordered list of values. In most languages, this is realized
as an array, vector, list, or sequence.
• Realization (as in various programming languages
• array, vector, list, or sequence
• JSON follows universal data structures
• It is interoperable between programming languages
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

9. Data Storage In JSON
• Object
• Array
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

10. JSON :: Object
• Example
var myJSONObject = { “Fruits” :
[
“Apple” ,
“Orange”,
“Grapes”
],
};
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

11. JSON :: Array
• Example
var myJSONArray = [
“Apple” ,
“Orange”,
“Grapes”
];
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

12. JSON Values
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

13. JSON String
• A string is very much like a C or Java string.
• string is a collection of zero or more Unicode characters within double
quotes and using backslash escapes
• character is represented as a single character string
Eg.
“Ahmed Muzammil”
“”Jamal””
“nTest”
“uAF34u34DS”
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

14. JSON Number
• A number is very much like a C or Java number
! octal and hexadecimal formats are not used.
Eg.
1234567
1.32432
0.342 e+12
1.23324342 e-32
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

15. JSON Tools for Developers
• Available for download @ www.json.org
• Parser
Parse JSON text files and convert these to a Java model
• Renderer
Render a Java representation into text
• Serializer
Serialize plain POJO clusters to a JSON representation
• Validator
Validate the contents of a JSON file using a JSON schema
• Tools are also available for other languages
• ASP, ActionScript, C Family, ColdFusion, Delphi, JavaScript, Perl, PHP,
PL/SQL, Ruby, Symbian & many more
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

16. Where is JSON Used?
• Ajax applications / Web 2.0
• Represent configuration information
• Implement communication protocols
• Data Exchange
• Remote Procedure Call / RMI
• Service Oriented Architecture
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

17. Let’s end with an example JSON
{ "firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"age": 25,
"address": {
"streetAddress": "21 2nd Street",
"city": "New York",
"state": "NY",
"postalCode": "10021“
},
"phoneNumber": [
{
"type": "home",
"number": "212 555-1234“
},
{
"type": "fax",
"number": "646 555-4567“
}
]
}
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

18. The same Example in XML
<Object>
<Property><Key>firstName</Key> <String>John</String></Property>
<Property><Key>lastName</Key> <String>Smith</String></Property>
<Property><Key>age</Key> <Number>25</Number></Property>
<Property><Key>address</Key> <Object> <Property><Key>streetAddress</Key>
<String>21 2nd Street</String></Property>
<Property><Key>city</Key> <String>New York</String></Property>
<Property><Key>state</Key> <String>NY</String></Property>
<Property><Key>postalCode</Key> <String>10021</String></Property>
</Object>
</Property> <Property><Key>phoneNumber</Key>
<Array> <Object> <Property><Key>type</Key> <String>home</String></Property>
<Property><Key>number</Key> <String>212 555-1234</String></Property></Object>
<Object>
<Property><Key>type</Key> <String>fax</String></Property> <Property><Key>number</
Key> <String>646 555-4567</String></Property> </Object> </Array>
</Property>
</Object>
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

19. Want more of JSON ? Go here...
• Introducing JSON
- http://www.json.org/
• Introduction to JSON
- http://www.javapassion.com/ajax/JSON.pdf
• JSON in JavaScript
- http://www.json.org/js.html
• JSON in Java
- http://www.json.org/java/index.html
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl

20. JSON is GOOD !
• Like this presentation? Share it...
• Questions?
- Tweet me @ahmedmzl
• I can help you on: Buy a "I ♥ JSON Tshirt" like this here at zazzle.com
• Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Business Process Management (BPM)
• Business Intelligence (BI)
• User Experience (UX)
• Product Development
• Project Management
www.ahmedmzl.com | Ahmed Muzammil Jamal ] LinkedIn ] @ahmedmzl