How to parse JSON in Java

Parsing JSON in Java is a common task when working with APIs or external data sources. Thankfully, Java has several libraries that simplify this process—two of the most popular are Jackson and Gson. Both libraries help convert JSON strings into Java objects and vice versa.

Here’s how you can approach JSON parsing in Java:

Using Jackson:

Add dependency: If you're using Maven, add the Jackson library:

  com.fasterxml.jackson.core

  jackson-databind

  2.x.x

Parse JSON:

ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();

MyClass obj = mapper.readValue(jsonString, MyClass.class);

 Using Gson:

Add dependency:

  com.google.code.gson

  gson

  2.x

Parse JSON:

Gson gson = new Gson();

MyClass obj = gson.fromJson(jsonString, MyClass.class);

 Things to Keep in Mind:

• Your Java class (MyClass) should match the structure of the JSON data.
  
• Both libraries can handle nested JSON, lists, and complex objects.
  
• If you need pretty printing or custom serialization, both libraries support that as well.
  

So, while Java doesn’t have built-in JSON parsing like some languages, libraries like Jackson and Gson make it smooth and reliable.