9.15. JSON Functions and Operators
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## 9.15. JSON Functions and Operators

Table 9.43 shows the operators that are available for use with the two JSON data types (see Section 8.14).

Table 9.43. `json` and `jsonb` Operators

Operator | Right Operand Type | Description | Example | Example Result
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
`->` | `int` | Get JSON array element (indexed from zero, negative integers count from the end) | `'[{"a":"foo"},{"b":"bar"},{"c":"baz"}]'::json->2` | `{"c":"baz"}`
`->` | `text` | Get JSON object field by key | `'{"a": {"b":"foo"}}'::json->'a'` | `{"b":"foo"}`
`->>` | `int` | Get JSON array element as `text` | `'[1,2,3]'::json->>2` | `3`
`->>` | `text` | Get JSON object field as `text` | `'{"a":1,"b":2}'::json->>'b'` | `2`
`#>` | `text[]` | Get JSON object at specified path | `'{"a": {"b":{"c": "foo"}}}'::json#>'{a,b}'` | `{"c": "foo"}`
`#>>` | `text[]` | Get JSON object at specified path as `text` | `'{"a":[1,2,3],"b":[4,5,6]}'::json#>>'{a,2}'` | `3`

### Note

There are parallel variants of these operators for both the `json` and `jsonb` types. The field/element/path extraction operators return the same type as their left-hand input (either `json` or `jsonb`), except for those specified as returning `text`, which coerce the value to text. The field/element/path extraction operators return NULL, rather than failing, if the JSON input does not have the right structure to match the request; for example if no such element exists. The field/element/path extraction operators that accept integer JSON array subscripts all support negative subscripting from the end of arrays.

The standard comparison operators shown in Table 9.1 are available for `jsonb`, but not for `json`. They follow the ordering rules for B-tree operations outlined at Section 8.14.4.

Some further operators also exist only for `jsonb`, as shown in Table 9.44. Many of these operators can be indexed by `jsonb` operator classes. For a full description of `jsonb` containment and existence semantics, see Section 8.14.3. Section 8.14.4 describes how these operators can be used to effectively index `jsonb` data.

Table 9.44. Additional `jsonb` Operators

Operator | Right Operand Type | Description | Example
--- | --- | --- | ---
`@>` | `jsonb` | Does the left JSON value contain the right JSON path/value entries at the top level? | `'{"a":1, "b":2}'::jsonb @> '{"b":2}'::jsonb`
`<@` | `jsonb` | Are the left JSON path/value entries contained at the top level within the right JSON value? | `'{"b":2}'::jsonb <@ '{"a":1, "b":2}'::jsonb`
`?` | `text` | Does the string exist as a top-level key within the JSON value? | `'{"a":1, "b":2}'::jsonb ? 'b'`
`?|` | `text[]` | Do any of these array strings exist as top-level keys? | `'{"a":1, "b":2, "c":3}'::jsonb ?| array['b', 'c']`
`?&` | `text[]` | Do all of these array strings exist as top-level keys? | `'["a", "b"]'::jsonb ?& array['a', 'b']`
`||` | `jsonb` | Concatenate two `jsonb` values into a new `jsonb` value | `'["a", "b"]'::jsonb || '["c", "d"]'::jsonb`
`-` | `text` | Delete key/value pair or string element from left operand. Key/value pairs are matched based on their key value. | `'{"a": "b"}'::jsonb - 'a'`
`-` | `text[]` | Delete multiple key/value pairs or string elements from left operand. Key/value pairs are matched based on their key value. | `'{"a": "b", "c": "d"}'::jsonb - '{a,c}'::text[]`
`-` | `integer` | Delete the array element with specified index (Negative integers count from the end). Throws an error if top level container is not an array. | `'["a", "b"]'::jsonb - 1`
`#-` | `text[]` | Delete the field or element with specified path (for JSON arrays, negative integers count from the end) | `'["a", {"b":1}]'::jsonb #- '{1,b}'`

### Note

The `||` operator concatenates the elements at the top level of each of its operands. It does not operate recursively. For example, if both operands are objects with a common key field name, the value of the field in the result will just be the value from the right hand operand.

Table 9.45 shows the functions that are available for creating `json` and `jsonb` values. (There are no equivalent functions for `jsonb`, of the `row_to_json` and `array_to_json` functions. However, the `to_jsonb` function supplies much the same functionality as these functions would.)

Table 9.45. JSON Creation Functions

Function | Description | Example | Example Result
--- | --- | --- | ---
`to_json(anyelement)` `to_jsonb(anyelement)` | Returns the value as `json` or `jsonb`. Arrays and composites are converted (recursively) to arrays and objects; otherwise, if there is a cast from the type to `json`, the cast function will be used to perform the conversion; otherwise, a scalar value is produced. For any scalar type other than a number, a Boolean, or a null value, the text representation will be used, in such a fashion that it is a valid `json` or `jsonb` value. | `to_json('Fred said "Hi."'::text)` | `"Fred said \"Hi.\""`
`array_to_json(anyarray [, pretty_bool])` | Returns the array as a JSON array. A PostgreSQL multidimensional array becomes a JSON array of arrays. Line feeds will be added between dimension-1 elements if `pretty_bool` is true. | `array_to_json('{{1,5},{99,100}}'::int[])` | `[[1,5],[99,100]]`
`row_to_json(record [, pretty_bool])` | Returns the row as a JSON object. Line feeds will be added between level-1 elements if `pretty_bool` is true. | `row_to_json(row(1,'foo'))` | `{"f1":1,"f2":"foo"}`
`json_build_array(VARIADIC "any")` `jsonb_build_array(VARIADIC "any")` | Builds a possibly-heterogeneously-typed JSON array out of a variadic argument list. | `json_build_array(1,2,'3',4,5)` | `[1, 2, "3", 4, 5]`
`json_build_object(VARIADIC "any")` `jsonb_build_object(VARIADIC "any")` | Builds a JSON object out of a variadic argument list. By convention, the argument list consists of alternating keys and values. | `json_build_object('foo',1,'bar',2)` | `{"foo": 1, "bar": 2}`
`json_object(text[])` `jsonb_object(text[])` | Builds a JSON object out of a text array. The array must have either exactly one dimension with an even number of members, in which case they are taken as alternating key/value pairs, or two dimensions such that each inner array has exactly two elements, which are taken as a key/value pair. | `json_object('{a, 1, b, "def", c, 3.5}')` `json_object('{{a, 1},{b, "def"},{c, 3.5}}')` | `{"a": "1", "b": "def", "c": "3.5"}`
`json_object(keys text[], values text[])` `jsonb_object(keys text[], values text[])` | This form of `json_object` takes keys and values pairwise from two separate arrays. In all other respects it is identical to the one-argument form. | `json_object('{a, b}', '{1,2}')` | `{"a": "1", "b": "2"}`

### Note

`array_to_json` and `row_to_json` have the same behavior as `to_json` except for offering a pretty-printing option. The behavior described for `to_json` likewise applies to each individual value converted by the other JSON creation functions.

### Note

The hstore extension has a cast from `hstore` to `json`, so that `hstore` values converted via the JSON creation functions will be represented as JSON objects, not as primitive string values.

Table 9.46 shows the functions that are available for processing `json` and `jsonb` values.

Table 9.46. JSON Processing Functions

Function | Return Type | Description | Example | Example Result
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
`json_array_length(json)` `jsonb_array_length(jsonb)` | `int` | Returns the number of elements in the outermost JSON array. | `json_array_length('[1,2,3,{"f1":1,"f2":[5,6]},4]')` | `5`
`json_each(json)` `jsonb_each(jsonb)` | `setof key text, value json` `setof key text, value jsonb` | Expands the outermost JSON object into a set of key/value pairs. | `select * from json_each('{"a":"foo", "b":"bar"}')` |
     key | value
    -----+-------
     a   | "foo"
     b   | "bar"
`json_each_text(json)` `jsonb_each_text(jsonb)` | `setof key text, value text` | Expands the outermost JSON object into a set of key/value pairs. The returned values will be of type `text`. | `select * from json_each_text('{"a":"foo", "b":"bar"}')` |
     key | value
    -----+-------
     a   | foo
     b   | bar
`json_extract_path(from_json json, VARIADIC path_elems text[])` `jsonb_extract_path(from_json jsonb, VARIADIC path_elems text[])` | `json` `jsonb` | Returns JSON value pointed to by `path_elems` (equivalent to `#>` operator). | `json_extract_path('{"f2":{"f3":1},"f4":{"f5":99,"f6":"foo"}}','f4')` | `{"f5":99,"f6":"foo"}`
`json_extract_path_text(from_json json, VARIADIC path_elems text[])` `jsonb_extract_path_text(from_json jsonb, VARIADIC path_elems text[])` | `text` | Returns JSON value pointed to by `path_elems` as `text` (equivalent to `#>>` operator). | `json_extract_path_text('{"f2":{"f3":1},"f4":{"f5":99,"f6":"foo"}}','f4', 'f6')` | `foo`
`json_object_keys(json)` `jsonb_object_keys(jsonb)` | `setof text` | Returns set of keys in the outermost JSON object. | `json_object_keys('{"f1":"abc","f2":{"f3":"a", "f4":"b"}}')` |
     json_object_keys
    ------------------
     f1
     f2
`json_populate_record(base anyelement, from_json json)` `jsonb_populate_record(base anyelement, from_json jsonb)` | `anyelement` | Expands the object in `from_json` to a row whose columns match the record type defined by `base` (see note below). | `select * from json_populate_record(null::myrowtype, '{"a": 1, "b": ["2", "a b"], "c": {"d": 4, "e": "a b c"}}')` |
     a |   b       |      c
    ---+-----------+-------------
     1 | {2,"a b"} | (4,"a b c")
`json_populate_recordset(base anyelement, from_json json)` `jsonb_populate_recordset(base anyelement, from_json jsonb)` | `setof anyelement` | Expands the outermost array of objects in `from_json` to a set of rows whose columns match the record type defined by `base` (see note below). | `select * from json_populate_recordset(null::myrowtype, '[{"a":1,"b":2},{"a":3,"b":4}]')` |
     a | b
    ---+---
     1 | 2
     3 | 4
`json_array_elements(json)` `jsonb_array_elements(jsonb)` | `setof json` `setof jsonb` | Expands a JSON array to a set of JSON values. | `select * from json_array_elements('[1,true, [2,false]]')` |
       value
    -----------
     1
     true
     [2,false]
`json_array_elements_text(json)` `jsonb_array_elements_text(jsonb)` | `setof text` | Expands a JSON array to a set of `text` values. | `select * from json_array_elements_text('["foo", "bar"]')` |
       value
    -----------
     foo
     bar
`json_typeof(json)` `jsonb_typeof(jsonb)` | `text` | Returns the type of the outermost JSON value as a text string. Possible types are `object`, `array`, `string`, `number`, `boolean`, and `null`. | `json_typeof('-123.4')` | `number`
`json_to_record(json)` `jsonb_to_record(jsonb)` | `record` | Builds an arbitrary record from a JSON object (see note below). As with all functions returning `record`, the caller must explicitly define the structure of the record with an `AS` clause. | `select * from json_to_record('{"a":1,"b":[1,2,3],"c":[1,2,3],"e":"bar","r": {"a": 123, "b": "a b c"}}') as x(a int, b text, c int[], d text, r myrowtype)` |
     a |    b    |    c    | d |       r
    ---+---------+---------+---+---------------
     1 | [1,2,3] | {1,2,3} |   | (123,"a b c")
`json_to_recordset(json)` `jsonb_to_recordset(jsonb)` | `setof record` | Builds an arbitrary set of records from a JSON array of objects (see note below). As with all functions returning `record`, the caller must explicitly define the structure of the record with an `AS` clause. | `select * from json_to_recordset('[{"a":1,"b":"foo"},{"a":"2","c":"bar"}]') as x(a int, b text);` |
     a |  b
    ---+-----
     1 | foo
     2 |
`json_strip_nulls(from_json json)` `jsonb_strip_nulls(from_json jsonb)` | `json` `jsonb` | Returns `from_json` with all object fields that have null values omitted. Other null values are untouched. | `json_strip_nulls('[{"f1":1,"f2":null},2,null,3]')` | `[{"f1":1},2,null,3]`
`jsonb_set(target jsonb, path text[], new_value jsonb[, `create_missing` `boolean`])` | `jsonb` | Returns `target` with the section designated by `path` replaced by `new_value`, or with `new_value` added if `create_missing` is true ( default is `true`) and the item designated by `path` does not exist. As with the path orientated operators, negative integers that appear in `path` count from the end of JSON arrays. | `jsonb_set('[{"f1":1,"f2":null},2,null,3]', '{0,f1}','[2,3,4]', false)` `jsonb_set('[{"f1":1,"f2":null},2]', '{0,f3}','[2,3,4]')` | `[{"f1":[2,3,4],"f2":null},2,null,3]` `[{"f1": 1, "f2": null, "f3": [2, 3, 4]}, 2]`
`jsonb_insert(target jsonb, path text[], new_value jsonb, [`insert_after` `boolean`])` | `jsonb` | Returns `target` with `new_value` inserted. If `target` section designated by `path` is in a JSONB array, `new_value` will be inserted before target or after if `insert_after` is true (default is `false`). If `target` section designated by `path` is in JSONB object, `new_value` will be inserted only if `target` does not exist. As with the path orientated operators, negative integers that appear in `path` count from the end of JSON arrays. | `jsonb_insert('{"a": [0,1,2]}', '{a, 1}', '"new_value"')` `jsonb_insert('{"a": [0,1,2]}', '{a, 1}', '"new_value"', true)` | `{"a": [0, "new_value", 1, 2]}` `{"a": [0, 1, "new_value", 2]}`
`jsonb_pretty(from_json jsonb)` | `text` | Returns `from_json` as indented JSON text. | `jsonb_pretty('[{"f1":1,"f2":null},2,null,3]')` |
    [
        {
            "f1": 1,
            "f2": null
        },
        2,
        null,
        3
    ]

### Note

Many of these functions and operators will convert Unicode escapes in JSON strings to the appropriate single character. This is a non-issue if the input is type `jsonb`, because the conversion was already done; but for `json` input, this may result in throwing an error, as noted in Section 8.14.

### Note

The functions `json[b]_populate_record`, `json[b]_populate_recordset`, `json[b]_to_record` and `json[b]_to_recordset` operate on a JSON object, or array of objects, and extract the values associated with keys whose names match column names of the output row type. Object fields that do not correspond to any output column name are ignored, and output columns that do not match any object field will be filled with nulls. To convert a JSON value to the SQL type of an output column, the following rules are applied in sequence:

- A JSON null value is converted to a SQL null in all cases.

- If the output column is of type `json` or `jsonb`, the JSON value is just reproduced exactly.

- If the output column is a composite (row) type, and the JSON value is a JSON object, the fields of the object are converted to columns of the output row type by recursive application of these rules.

- Likewise, if the output column is an array type and the JSON value is a JSON array, the elements of the JSON array are converted to elements of the output array by recursive application of these rules.

- Otherwise, if the JSON value is a string literal, the contents of the string are fed to the input conversion function for the column's data type.

- Otherwise, the ordinary text representation of the JSON value is fed to the input conversion function for the column's data type.

While the examples for these functions use constants, the typical use would be to reference a table in the `FROM` clause and use one of its `json` or `jsonb` columns as an argument to the function. Extracted key values can then be referenced in other parts of the query, like `WHERE` clauses and target lists. Extracting multiple values in this way can improve performance over extracting them separately with per-key operators.

### Note

All the items of the `path` parameter of `jsonb_set` as well as `jsonb_insert` except the last item must be present in the `target`. If `create_missing` is false, all items of the `path` parameter of `jsonb_set` must be present. If these conditions are not met the `target` is returned unchanged.

If the last path item is an object key, it will be created if it is absent and given the new value. If the last path item is an array index, if it is positive the item to set is found by counting from the left, and if negative by counting from the right - `-1` designates the rightmost element, and so on. If the item is out of the range -array_length .. array_length -1, and create_missing is true, the new value is added at the beginning of the array if the item is negative, and at the end of the array if it is positive.

### Note

The `json_typeof` function's `null` return value should not be confused with a SQL NULL. While calling `json_typeof('null'::json)` will return `null`, calling `json_typeof(NULL::json)` will return a SQL NULL.

### Note

If the argument to `json_strip_nulls` contains duplicate field names in any object, the result could be semantically somewhat different, depending on the order in which they occur. This is not an issue for `jsonb_strip_nulls` since `jsonb` values never have duplicate object field names.

See also Section 9.20 for the aggregate function `json_agg` which aggregates record values as JSON, and the aggregate function `json_object_agg` which aggregates pairs of values into a JSON object, and their `jsonb` equivalents, `jsonb_agg` and `jsonb_object_agg`.

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