JSON

JSON is one of the most common data formats you will handle in automation: API responses, webhook payloads, configuration objects, and structured text. The JSON node provides simple tools to convert, inspect, and combine JSON safely without writing custom code.

When to Use This Node

Use the JSON node when you need to:

  • Turn a JSON string into a structured object you can map into other node inputs
  • Build a JSON string from items (for APIs, storage, or logs)
  • Extract a deeply nested value using a dot-notation path
  • Merge two JSON objects (or arrays) into a single output

Actions

1) Parse JSON

Purpose: Parse a JSON string into a structured object (or associative array) so you can select fields and map them into the next steps.

Inputs

  • JSON String*
    The raw JSON string you want to parse.

  • Return as Array (toggle)
    If enabled, the parsed result is returned as an associative array style structure.
    If disabled, the parsed result is returned as an object style structure.

Example

JSON String

{
  "user": {
    "id": 42,
    "profile": { "name": "Jane", "isActive": true }
  }
}

Result
You can now select values like:

  • user.id
  • user.profile.name
  • user.profile.isActive

Tip: Parse JSON right after a webhook or HTTP request if the output is returned as a string.

2) Stringify JSON

Purpose: Convert structured data into a JSON string. This is useful when you need to send JSON in an API request body or store it as plain text.

Inputs

  • Data* (+ Add Item)
    Add one or more fields that will be converted into a JSON string output.

  • Pretty Print (toggle)
    If enabled, formats JSON with indentation for readability.

Example

Data

  • name = Jane
  • age = 28

Output

{"name":"Jane","age":28}

With Pretty Print enabled:

{
  "name": "Jane",
  "age": 28
}

3) Extract JSON Value

Purpose: Extract a specific value from JSON using a dot-notation path.
This is ideal when you only need one field out of a large payload.

Inputs

  • JSON Data*
    The JSON you want to extract from.

  • Path*
    A dot-notation path to the target value.
    Example: user.profile.name or items.0.id

  • Default Value (optional)
    The value returned if the path does not exist.

Example

JSON Data

{
  "items": [
    { "id": "A1", "price": 10 },
    { "id": "B2", "price": 20 }
  ]
}

Path

items.1.price

Result

20

If you use a missing path and set Default Value to 0, the output will be 0.

4) Merge JSON Objects

Purpose: Combine two JSON objects (or arrays) into one result.

Inputs

  • First JSON*
    The first JSON object/array to merge.

  • Second JSON*
    The second JSON object/array to merge.

Example: Merge Objects

First JSON

{ "user": { "id": 1 }, "tags": ["new"] }

Second JSON

{ "user": { "name": "Jane" }, "country": "TR" }

Merged Result (example)

{
  "user": { "id": 1, "name": "Jane" },
  "tags": ["new"],
  "country": "TR"
}

Note: If both objects contain the same key, the merge behavior follows the node’s internal merge strategy (for example, overriding or deep-merging).
If you need a specific merge rule, use Parameter Mapping to control the final structure explicitly.

Best Practices

  • Parse early, map later: Convert JSON strings into structured data first, then use Data Selector / Parameter Mapping in later nodes.
  • Use Extract for performance: If you only need a single field, extracting is often clearer than mapping through a large object.
  • Pretty print only for readability: For production API requests, pretty print is usually unnecessary unless required.

Quick Summary

  • Parse JSON → string → structured data
  • Stringify JSON → structured data → string
  • Extract JSON Value → get one field using a path
  • Merge JSON Objects → combine two payloads into one