Using Json-lib with Groovy

Since version 2.0 Json-lib has integrated Groovy support, meaning that POGOs can be transformed into JSON and back, in the same manner as you do now with POJOs. There are other features as well:

• Type transformations with the as keyword.
  A Groovy List (default type is ArrayList) can be transformed into a JSONArray.
  A Groovy Map (default type is HashMap) can be transformed into a JSONObject.
  A String can be transformed into JSON, JSONObject, JSONArray and JSONFunction.
  def fromList = [1,true,'json'] as JSONarray def fromMap = [integer:1, bool: true] as JSONObject def strAsJson1 = "{integer:1, bool: true}" as JSON def strAsJson2 = "[1,2,3]" as JSON def strAsJsonObject = "{integer:1, bool: true}" as JSONObject def strAsJsonArray = "[1,2,3]" as JSONArray def strAsFunc = "function(param){ this.param = param; }" as JSONFunction
• JSONObject supports the leftShift (<<) operator to append values, the following rules apply:
  • If the shifted arg is a Map, it will call putAll() on the object.
  • If the shifted arg is a List and its size == 2, the first element will be the key, and the second will be the value.
  • If the shifted arg is a List and its size > 2, the first element will be the key, the arg will be shifted by 1 and passed as the value (will create a JSONArray because it is a List).
  • Any other type will be discarded, the object will not be affected nor an exception will be thrown.
• JSONObject and JSONarray implement java.util.Comparable, which enables the use of the comparison operators with them (including the spaceship operator).
• JSONObject implements java.util.Map and JSONArray implements java.util.List, anything you can do with Maps and List can be done with JSONObject and JSONArray.
• JsonGroovyBuilder behaves like the JsonBuilder found in Grails but it will create a JSONObject/JSONArray instead of writing the built structure into a String.

CAUTION: Since version 2.2.1 Json-lib will not automatically enhance class through custom metaclasses, you must call GJson.enhanceClasses() before executing the examples shown on this page.