sjson/README.md

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    src="logo.png" 
    width="240" height="78" border="0" alt="SJSON">
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<p align="center">set a json value quickly</a></p>

SJSON is a Go package the provides a **very fast** and simple way to set a value in a json document. The reason for this library it to provide efficient json updating for the [SummitDB](https://github.com/tidwall/summitdb) project. 
For quickly retrieving json values check out the [GJSON](https://github.com/tidwall/gjson).

Getting Started
===============

Installing
----------

To start using SJSON, install Go and run `go get`:

```sh
$ go get -u github.com/tidwall/sjson
```

This will retrieve the library.

Set a value
-----------
Set sets the value for the specified path. 
A path is in dot syntax, such as "name.last" or "age". 
This function expects that the json is well-formed and validates. 
Invalid json will not panic, but it may return back unexpected results.
Invalid paths may return an error.

```go
package main

import "github.com/tidwall/sjson"

const json = `{"name":{"first":"Janet","last":"Prichard"},"age":47}`

func main() {
	value, _ := sjson.Set(json, "name.last", "Anderson")
	println(value)
}
```

This will print:

```json
{"name":{"first":"Janet","last":"Anderson"},"age":47}
```

Path syntax
-----------

A path is a series of keys separated by a dot.
The dot and colon characters can be escaped with '\'.

```json
{
  "name": {"first": "Tom", "last": "Anderson"},
  "age":37,
  "children": ["Sara","Alex","Jack"],
  "fav.movie": "Deer Hunter",
  "friends": [
	{"first": "James", "last": "Murphy"},
	{"first": "Roger", "last": "Craig"}
  ]
}
```
```
"name.last"          >> "Anderson"
"age"                >> 37
"children.1"         >> "Alex"
"friends.1.last"     >> "Craig"
```

The `-1` key can be used to append a value to an existing array:

```
"children.-1"  >> appends a new value to the end of the children array
```

Normally number keys are used to modify arrays, but it's possible to force a numeric object key by using the colon character:

```json
{
  "users":{
    "2313":{"name":"Sara"},
    "7839":{"name":"Andy"}
  }
}
```

A colon path would look like:

```
"users.:2313.name"    >> "Sara"
```

Supported types
---------------

Pretty much any type is supported:

```go
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", nil)
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", false)
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", 1)
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", 10.5)
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", "hello")
sjson.Set(`{"key":true}`, "key", map[string]interface{}{"hello":"world"})
```

When a type is not recognized, SJSON will fallback to the `encoding/json` Marshaller.


Examples
--------

Set a value from empty document:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set("", "name", "Tom")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"name":"Tom"}
```

Set a nested value from empty document:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set("", "name.last", "Anderson")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"name":{"last":"Anderson"}}
```

Set a new value:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set(`{"name":{"last":"Anderson"}}`, "name.first", "Sara")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"name":{"first":"Sara","last":"Anderson"}}
```

Update an existing value:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set(`{"name":{"last":"Anderson"}}`, "name.last", "Smith")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"name":{"first":"Sara","last":"Smith"}}
```

Set a new array value:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set(`{"friends":["Andy","Carol"]}`, "friends.2", "Sara")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"friends":["Andy","Carol","Sara"]
```

Append an array value by using the `-1` key in a path:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set(`{"friends":["Andy","Carol"]}`, "friends.-1", "Sara")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"friends":["Andy","Carol","Sara"]
```

Append an array value that is past the end:
```go
value, _ := sjson.Set(`{"friends":["Andy","Carol"]}`, "friends.4", "Sara")
println(value)

// Output:
// {"friends":["Andy","Carol",null,null,"Sara"]
```

## Contact
Josh Baker [@tidwall](http://twitter.com/tidwall)

## License

SJSON source code is available under the MIT [License](/LICENSE).