JSON

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is lightweight format that is used for data interchanging, based on a subset of JavaScript language.

JSON is used in Javascript on the Internet as an alternative to XML for organizing data as it is quite independent language, but unlike XML or other full markup languages, JSON is simply a way to represent data structures. JSON documents are relatively lightweight and are rapidly executed on web servers.

JSON notation contains these basic elements:

• Object: it is an unordered set of name/value pairs. An object begins with { (left brace) and ends with } (right brace). Each name is followed by : (colon) and the name/value pairs are separated by , (comma).

• Array: it is an ordered collection of values. An array begins with [ (left bracket) and ends with ] (right bracket). Values are separated by , (comma).

• Value: it can be a string in double quotes, or a number, or true or false or null, or an object or an array. These structures can be nested

• String: it is a sequence of zero or more Unicode characters, wrapped in double quotes, using backslash escapes. A character is represented as a single character string. A string is very much like a C or Java string.

• Number: it is very much like a C or Java number, except that the octal and hexadecimal formats are not used.

For more details check the following references:

• JSON.org;

• Wikipedia;

• JSON in 3 minutes;

• JSON Tutorial.