PHP JSONPath

JSONPath is a simple query language for JSON documents, inspired by XPath for XML and originally designed by Stefan Goessner.

Features

• Accepts encoded JSON strings as well as decoded PHP data as input, supports both representations in output.
• Selects, deletes or replaces parts of JSON document using JSONPath queries.
• Recognizes definite/indefinite JSONPath queries without executing them.
• Transforms indefinite JSONPath query to set of definite queries for given JSON document.

Requirements

• PHP 8
• JSON extension (ext-json) - required by remorhaz/php-json-data that is used to access JSON documents.
• Internationalization functions (ext-intl)
• Tokenizer extension (ext-tokenizer) - required by nikic/php-parser that is used for code generation.

Installation

You can use Composer to install this package:

composer require remorhaz/php-json-path

Usage

Accessing JSON document

You can create accessible JSON document either from encoded JSON string or from decoded JSON data using corresponding node value factory:

use Remorhaz\JSON\Data\Value\EncodedJson;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Data\Value\DecodedJson;

// Creating document from JSON-encoded string:
$encodedValueFactory = EncodedJson\NodeValueFactory::create();
$encodedJson = '{"a":1}';
$document1 = $encodedValueFactory->createValue($encodedJson);

// Creating document from decoded JSON data:
$decodedValueFactory = DecodedJson\NodeValueFactory::create();
$decodedJson = (object) ['a' => 1];
$document2 = $decodedValueFactory->createValue($decodedJson);

Creating query

You should use query factory to create query from JSONPath expression:

use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Query\QueryFactory;

$queryFactory = QueryFactory::create();

// Creating query that selects all 'a' properties from any document:
$query = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..a');

Definite query is the query that defines exactly one path in document. If query includes any filters, wildcards or deep children scan, it is considered indefinite.

Addressable query is the query that returns unprocessed part(s) of the document. If query returns an aggregate function result, it is considered non-addressable.

Processing query

You should use an instance of query processor to execute queries on given JSON documents:

use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Processor\Processor;

$processor = Processor::create();

Selecting part of a JSON document

There are two ways to select part of JSON document using JSONPath query:

1. You can get all matching parts in array, using ::select() method. This works with both definite and indefinite queries. You will get empty array if none of document parts matches your query.
2. You can get exactly one matching part, using ::selectOne() method. Note that this works only with definite queries. You will get an exception if your query is indefinite.

use Remorhaz\JSON\Data\Value\EncodedJson;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Processor\Processor;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Query\QueryFactory;

$processor = Processor::create()
$queryFactory = QueryFactory::create();
$encodedValueFactory = EncodedJson\NodeValueFactory::create();

$document = $encodedValueFactory->createValue('{"a":{"a":1,"b":2}');

// Selecting all 'a' properties (indefinite query, values exist):
$query1 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..a');
$result1 = $processor->select($query1, $document);
var_dump($result1->select()); // array: ['{"a":1,"b":2}', '1']

// Selecting single 'b' property nested in 'a' property (definite query, value exists):
$query2 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$.a.b');
$result2 = $processor->selectOne($query2, $document);
var_dump($result2->exists()); // boolean: true
var_dump($result2->decode()); // integer: 2

// Selecting single 'b' property (definite query, value doesn't exist):
$query3 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$.b');
$result3 = $processor->selectOne($query3, $document);
var_dump($result3->exists()); // boolean: false
var_dump($result3->decode()); // throws exception

Note that you can either encode result(s) of a selection to JSON string(s) or decode them to raw PHP data. Before accessing a result of ::selectOne() you can check it's existence with ::exists() method to avoid exception.

Deleting part of a JSON document

To delete part(s) of a JSON document use ::delete() method. It works only with addressable queries. You will get an exception if your query is non-addressable. If none of document parts match the query you will get the document unchanged. Special case is deleting root of a document - in this case you will get non-existing result.

use Remorhaz\JSON\Data\Value\EncodedJson;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Processor\Processor;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Query\QueryFactory;

$processor = Processor::create()
$queryFactory = QueryFactory::create();
$encodedValueFactory = EncodedJson\NodeValueFactory::create();

$document = $encodedValueFactory->createValue('{"a":{"a":1,"b":2}');

// Deleting all 'b' properties (value exists):
$query1 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..b');
$result1 = $processor->delete($query1, $document);
var_dump($result1->exists()); // boolean: true
var_dump($result1->encode()); // '{"a":{"a":1}}'

// Deleting all 'c' properties (value doesn't exist):
$query2 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..c');
$result2 = $processor->delete($query2, $document);
var_dump($result1->exists()); // boolean: true
var_dump($result1->encode()); // '{"a":{"a":1,"b":2}}'

// Deleting root of the document:
$query3 = $queryFactory->createValue('$');
$result3 = $processor->delete($query3, $document);
var_dump($result3->exists()); // boolean: false
var_dump($result3->encode()); // throws exception

Replacing the part of a JSON document with another JSON document

To replace part(s) of a JSON document with another JSON document use ::replace() method. It works only with addressable queries. You will get an exception if your query is non-addressable. If none of document parts match the query you will get the document unchanged. If the query matches nested parts of a document, you will also get an exception.

use Remorhaz\JSON\Data\Value\EncodedJson;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Processor\Processor;
use Remorhaz\JSON\Path\Query\QueryFactory;

$processor = Processor::create()
$queryFactory = QueryFactory::create();
$encodedValueFactory = EncodedJson\NodeValueFactory::create();

$document1 = $encodedValueFactory->createValue('{"a":{"a":1,"b":2}');
$document2 = $encodedValueFactory->createValue('{"c":3}');

// Replacing 'a' property (value exists):
$query1 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$.a');
$result1 = $processor->replace($query1, $document1, $document2);
var_dump($result1->encode()); // string: '{"a":{"c":3}}'

// Replacing all 'c' properties (value doesn't exist)
$query2 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..c');
$result2 = $processor->replace($query2, $document1, $document2);
var_dump($result2->encode()); // string: '{"a":{"a":1,"b":2}'

// Replacing all 'a' properties (values are nested):
$query3 = $queryFactory->createQuery('$..a');
$result3 = $processor->replace($query3, $document1, $document2); // throws exception

Grammar

All JSONPath queries start with abstract $ symbol that denotes outer level object. Internal structure can be matched with child operators and filters:

Operation	Description
$	Root object of the JSON document.
.a	Property a of current object (dot-notation).
..a	Properties a of current and all it's nested objects.
['a']	Property a of current object (bracket-notation).
['a', 'b']	Properties a and b of current object.
[1, 3]	Indexes 1 and 3 of current array.
[3:10:2]	Sequence of indexes from 3 to 10 with step 2.
*	Wildcard that matches any property of current object / index of current array.
[?(<expression>)]	Filters values by expression.
.length()	Aggregate function.

Child operators

There are two notations for selecting structure children: dot-notation and bracket-notation.

Dot-notation allows to select either exactly one property or all children (using a wildcard). Double-dot notation walks through the JSON structure recursively.

Example	Description
$.a	Selects property a of a root object.
$.*	Selects all properties of a root objects or all elements of a root array.
$..a	Selects property a of all objects recursively.
$..*	Selects all properties/elements of all objects/arrays recursively.

Bracket-notation allows to select a set of properties/elements:

Example	Description
$['a', 'b']	Selects properties a and b of a root object.
$[2, 3]	Selects elements 2 and 3 from a root array.
$[3:10:2]	Selects a sequence of elements from 3 up to 10 with step 2. This equivalent query is $[3, 5, 7, 9]. The notation is same as in Python.
$[*]	Select all children. Same as $.*.

Aggregate functions

Aggregate functions can be appended to any path in query and it will return calculated value.

Function	Description
.min()	Returns minimal number from current array.
.max()	Returns maximal number from current array.
.length()	Returns amount of elements in current array.
.avg()	Returns average value from numbers in current array.
.stddev()	Returns standard deviation from numbers in current array.

The set of aggregate functions and idea itself is taken from Java implementation.

Filter expressions

When filter is being applied to nodeset, it leaves only those nodes for which the expression evaluates to true.

Example	Description
$..a[?(@.b)]	Selects all properties a that contain objects with property b.
$..a[?(@.b > 2)]	Selects all properties a that contain objects with property b that is number greater than 2.
$..a[?(true)]	Boolean true is the only literal that evaluates to true; so this query is equivalent to $..a.
$..a[?(1)]	Attention! This evaluates to false, selecting nothing, because no automatic typecasting is performed.

Filter context

Expression @ points to the value to which the filter was applied.

Operators

Comparison operators can be used to compare value with another value or with a literal. Supported operators are: ==, !=, >, >=, < and <=. Brackets can be used for grouping, and logical operators &&, || and ! are also supported. Regular expressions can be matched using =~ operator.

Example	Description
$..a[?(@.b == @.c)]	Selects property a of any object that is object with properties b and c with equal values.
`$..a[?(@.b
$..a[?(@.b =~ /^b/i)]	Selects property a of any object that is object with string property b that starts from b or B.

Original definition

Goessner described JSONPath grammar with providing a set of example queries on JSON sample. Here's his original data sample:

{ "store": {
    "book": [ 
      { "category": "reference",
        "author": "Nigel Rees",
        "title": "Sayings of the Century",
        "price": 8.95
      },
      { "category": "fiction",
        "author": "Evelyn Waugh",
        "title": "Sword of Honour",
        "price": 12.99
      },
      { "category": "fiction",
        "author": "Herman Melville",
        "title": "Moby Dick",
        "isbn": "0-553-21311-3",
        "price": 8.99
      },
      { "category": "fiction",
        "author": "J. R. R. Tolkien",
        "title": "The Lord of the Rings",
        "isbn": "0-395-19395-8",
        "price": 22.99
      }
    ],
    "bicycle": {
      "color": "red",
      "price": 19.95
    }
  }
}

And here are his original example queries with result descriptions:

Query	Result	Supported	Comments
$.store.book[*].author	The authors of all books in the store.	Yes
$..author	All authors.	Yes
$.store.*	All things in store, which are some books and a red bicycle.	Yes
$.store..price	The price of everything in the store.	Yes
$..book[2]	The third book.	Yes
$..book[(@.length-1)]	The last book in order.	No	Original implementation uses underlying script engine (JavaScript, in his case) in expressions. In case of PHP allowing to call arbitrary code from expression is unsafe, so script expressions are not implemented.
$..book[-1:]	The last book in order.	Yes
$..book[0,1]	The first two books.	Yes
$..book[:2]	The first two books.	Yes
$..book[?(@.isbn)]	Filter all books with isbn number.	Yes
$..book[?(@.price<10)]	Filter all books cheapier than 10.	Yes
$..*	All members of JSON structure.	Yes