How to Convert JSON object to Custom C# object?

Question

Since we all love one liners code

Newtonsoft is faster than java script serializer. ... this one depends on the Newtonsoft NuGet package, which is popular and better than the default serializer.

if we have class then use below.

Mycustomclassname oMycustomclassname = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Mycustomclassname>(jsonString);

no class then use dynamic

var oMycustomclassname = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<dynamic>(jsonString);

A good way to use JSON in C# is with JSON.NET

Quick Starts & API Documentation from JSON.NET - Official site help you work with it.

An example of how to use it:

public class User
{
    public User(string json)
    {
        JObject jObject = JObject.Parse(json);
        JToken jUser = jObject["user"];
        name = (string) jUser["name"];
        teamname = (string) jUser["teamname"];
        email = (string) jUser["email"];
        players = jUser["players"].ToArray();
    }

    public string name { get; set; }
    public string teamname { get; set; }
    public string email { get; set; }
    public Array players { get; set; }
}

// Use
private void Run()
{
    string json = @"{""user"":{""name"":""asdf"",""teamname"":""b"",""email"":""c"",""players"":[""1"",""2""]}}";
    User user = new User(json);

    Console.WriteLine("Name : " + user.name);
    Console.WriteLine("Teamname : " + user.teamname);
    Console.WriteLine("Email : " + user.email);
    Console.WriteLine("Players:");

    foreach (var player in user.players)
        Console.WriteLine(player);
 }

To keep your options open, if you're using .NET 3.5 or later, here is a wrapped up example you can use straight from the framework using Generics. As others have mentioned, if it's not just simple objects you should really use JSON.net.

public static string Serialize<T>(T obj)
{
    DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(obj.GetType());
    MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream();
    serializer.WriteObject(ms, obj);
    string retVal = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(ms.ToArray());
    return retVal;
}

public static T Deserialize<T>(string json)
{
    T obj = Activator.CreateInstance<T>();
    MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(json));
    DataContractJsonSerializer serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(obj.GetType());
    obj = (T)serializer.ReadObject(ms);
    ms.Close();
    return obj;
}

You'll need:

using System.Runtime.Serialization;

using System.Runtime.Serialization.Json;

Given your code sample, you shouldn't need to do anything else.

If you pass that JSON string to your web method, it will automatically parse the JSON string and create a populated User object as the parameter for your SaveTeam method.

Generally though, you can use the JavascriptSerializer class as below, or for more flexibility, use any of the various Json frameworks out there (Jayrock JSON is a good one) for easy JSON manipulation.

 JavaScriptSerializer jss= new JavaScriptSerializer();
 User user = jss.Deserialize<User>(jsonResponse); 

Another Really simple Solution is using the library Newtonsoft.Json:

User user = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<User>(jsonString);

The following 2 examples make use of either

1. JavaScriptSerializer under System.Web.Script.Serialization Or
2. Json.Decode under System.Web.Helpers

---

Example 1: using System.Web.Script.Serialization

using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using System.Web.Script.Serialization;

namespace Tests
{
    [TestClass]
    public class JsonTests
    {
        [TestMethod]
        public void Test()
        {
            var json = "{\"user\":{\"name\":\"asdf\",\"teamname\":\"b\",\"email\":\"c\",\"players\":[\"1\",\"2\"]}}";
            JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            dynamic jsonObject = serializer.Deserialize<dynamic>(json);

            dynamic x = jsonObject["user"]; // result is Dictionary<string,object> user with fields name, teamname, email and players with their values
            x = jsonObject["user"]["name"]; // result is asdf
            x = jsonObject["user"]["players"]; // result is object[] players with its values
        }
    }
}

Usage: JSON object to Custom C# object

using System;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using System.Web.Script.Serialization;
using System.Linq;

namespace Tests
{
    [TestClass]
    public class JsonTests
    {
        [TestMethod]
        public void TestJavaScriptSerializer()
        {
            var json = "{\"user\":{\"name\":\"asdf\",\"teamname\":\"b\",\"email\":\"c\",\"players\":[\"1\",\"2\"]}}";
            User user = new User(json);
            Console.WriteLine("Name : " + user.name);
            Console.WriteLine("Teamname : " + user.teamname);
            Console.WriteLine("Email : " + user.email);
            Console.WriteLine("Players:");
            foreach (var player in user.players)
                Console.WriteLine(player);
        }
    }

    public class User {
        public User(string json) {
            JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            var jsonObject = serializer.Deserialize<dynamic>(json);
            name = (string)jsonObject["user"]["name"];
            teamname = (string)jsonObject["user"]["teamname"];
            email = (string)jsonObject["user"]["email"];
            players = jsonObject["user"]["players"];
        }

        public string name { get; set; }
        public string teamname { get; set; }
        public string email { get; set; }
        public Array players { get; set; }
    }
}

---

Example 2: using System.Web.Helpers

using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using System.Web.Helpers;

namespace Tests
{
    [TestClass]
    public class JsonTests
    {
        [TestMethod]
        public void TestJsonDecode()
        {
            var json = "{\"user\":{\"name\":\"asdf\",\"teamname\":\"b\",\"email\":\"c\",\"players\":[\"1\",\"2\"]}}";
            dynamic jsonObject = Json.Decode(json);

            dynamic x = jsonObject.user; // result is dynamic json object user with fields name, teamname, email and players with their values
            x = jsonObject.user.name; // result is asdf
            x = jsonObject.user.players; // result is dynamic json array players with its values
        }
    }
}

Usage: JSON object to Custom C# object

using System;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using System.Web.Helpers;
using System.Linq;

namespace Tests
{
    [TestClass]
    public class JsonTests
    {
        [TestMethod]
        public void TestJsonDecode()
        {
            var json = "{\"user\":{\"name\":\"asdf\",\"teamname\":\"b\",\"email\":\"c\",\"players\":[\"1\",\"2\"]}}";
            User user = new User(json);
            Console.WriteLine("Name : " + user.name);
            Console.WriteLine("Teamname : " + user.teamname);
            Console.WriteLine("Email : " + user.email);
            Console.WriteLine("Players:");
            foreach (var player in user.players)
                Console.WriteLine(player);
        }
    }

    public class User {
        public User(string json) {
            var jsonObject = Json.Decode(json);
            name = (string)jsonObject.user.name;
            teamname = (string)jsonObject.user.teamname;
            email = (string)jsonObject.user.email;
            players = (DynamicJsonArray) jsonObject.user.players;
        }

        public string name { get; set; }
        public string teamname { get; set; }
        public string email { get; set; }
        public Array players { get; set; }
    }
}

This code requires adding System.Web.Helpers namespace found in,

%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft ASP.NET\ASP.NET Web Pages{VERSION}\Assemblies\System.Web.Helpers.dll

Or

%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft ASP.NET\ASP.NET Web Pages{VERSION}\Assemblies\System.Web.Helpers.dll

Hope this helps!