Serializing to JSON in jQuery

javascript

json-serialization

jquery

browser-compatibility

byAnton Shumikhin·Oct 17, 2024

When you're handling object conversion to a JSON string, use JSON.stringify() to do it simply and efficiently.

var person = {name: 'Alice', age: 30, city: 'Wonderland'};
var jsonPerson = JSON.stringify(person);
// jsonPerson is now '{"name":"Alice","age":30,"city":"Wonderland"}'

Convert person to a JSON string jsonPerson—no jQuery, pure JavaScript will do the job!

For AJAX communication with jQuery, you can convert your data into JSON before sending it off like this:

$.ajax({
  type: "POST",
  url: "/service-endpoint",
  data: JSON.stringify(person),
  contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
  dataType: "json"
});

In the second code fragment, $.ajax() politely hands over person — now turned jsonPerson — to the designated service endpoint. A neat package, tied with a Content-Type ribbon!

Verifying browser compatibility

Before leaping into implementation, it's best to check if the user's browser supports JSON. Web resources like caniuse.com are handy:

For JSON.stringify(): caniuse.com/#search=JSON.stringify
And JSON.parse(): caniuse.com/json

If compatibility is hitting a wall, the json2.js polyfill from Douglas Crockford conveniently steps in.

Enter json2.js for older browsers

While modern browsers natively support JSON.stringify() and JSON.parse(), not all browsers are that charming. Here, rescuing older browsers is json2.js. As John Resig, creator of jQuery, recommends, migrating to json2.js offers a wider safety net.

<!--[if lt IE 8]>
<script src="json2.js"></script>
<![endif]-->

This 'if' condition checks if the browser is missing native JSON support. Only then, it loads json2.js to keep things running smoothly.

Extra power using jquery-json plugin

Are you dealing with complex cases or needing more juice than what native JSON methods offer? Consider using the jquery-json library. It presents $.toJSON() and $.parseJSON() methods that are geared for additional dashboard controls:

Mark Gibson's jQuery plugin: Check this out at http://jollytoad.googlepages.com/json.js. It adds convenient methods for serialization.

Weigh the overhead

Adding new libraries affects your project's weight. Before opting for a plugin or polyfill, evaluate:

The size of the library
Its impact
How well it plays with other libraries
The occurrences where the environment lacks native JSON implementation

Insist on a standardized and proven method for serialization that guarantees consistency and reliability.

Tackling circular references and large data sets

While JSON.stringify() is an impressive tool, it finds circular references a tough cookie. For object graphs with cycles, consider using a custom replacer function or Flatted, a library that serializes circular data structures.

With large data sets, object-to-string conversion might take a toll on CPU. If performance suffers, handle it with: