The JSON Format

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a simple plaintext format that is capable of representing complex data structures. We can use this format to represent strings, numbers, arrays, and even objects. Once we have the information "JSONified," we can use this widely adopted format to communicate with the API.

We are going to show you what a JSON format file looks like. In the following example, you will see that we are representing two recipes in JSON format. A JSON document is a plaintext document; there is no encryption here. It is so readable that I am sure you can already tell (without further explanation) that there are two recipes here, each with an ID, name, and description.

Here are a few notes on JSON syntax:

• Arrays are enclosed by []
• Objects can be represented by {}
• Names/values always exist in pairs, and are delimited by ":"
• Strings are enclosed by ""

Following is a sample code file with JSON syntax:

{
  "recipes":[
    {
      "id":1,
      "name":"Egg Salad",
      "description":"Place an egg in a saucepan and..."
    },
    {
      "id":2,
      "name":"Tomato Pasta",
      "description":"Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil..."
    }
  ]
}