Is it safe to parse json with YAML.load?

Question

I am using ruby 2.1.0

I have a json file. For example: test.json

    {
      "item":[
        {"apple": 1},
        {"banana": 2}
      ]
   }

Is it safe to load this file with YAML.load?

    YAML.load(File.read('test.json'))

I am trying to load a file which is in either json or yaml format.

Answer 1

YAML can load JSON

YAML.load('{"something": "test", "other": 4 }')
=> {"something"=>"test", "other"=>4}

JSON will not be able to load YAML.

JSON.load("- something\n")
JSON::ParserError: 795: unexpected token at '- something'

There will be some obscure cases that work and produce different output.

YAML.load("")
=> false
JSON.load("")
=> nil

But generally the YAML construct is not JSON compliant.

So, try the JSON.load first because it's probably better at obscure JSON things.
Catch the JSON::ParserError error and fall back to YAML.load.