json-stringify-safe vs fast-safe-stringify vs safe-json-stringify
Safe Stringification of JavaScript Objects Comparison
3 Years
json-stringify-safefast-safe-stringifysafe-json-stringifySimilar Packages:
What's Safe Stringification of JavaScript Objects?

In JavaScript, stringification refers to the process of converting an object into a JSON string representation. This is commonly done using the JSON.stringify() method. However, certain objects can cause issues during stringification, such as circular references (where an object references itself), large objects, or objects with non-serializable properties (like functions or symbols). To handle these challenges safely, developers use specialized libraries that provide safe stringification, ensuring that the process does not throw errors or crash the application. These libraries often implement techniques to detect and handle circular references, limit the depth of stringification, and exclude non-serializable properties, making them reliable tools for serializing complex JavaScript objects. This is particularly useful for logging, debugging, or sending data over the network without running into serialization issues.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
json-stringify-safe26,097,301
554-710 years agoISC
fast-safe-stringify17,419,071
351-94 years agoMIT
safe-json-stringify2,460,583
56-37 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: json-stringify-safe vs fast-safe-stringify vs safe-json-stringify

Circular Reference Handling

  • json-stringify-safe:

    json-stringify-safe handles circular references by detecting them and replacing them with a specified placeholder (default is '[Circular]'). This simple approach prevents errors while stringifying objects with circular structures, making it easy to integrate into existing code.

  • fast-safe-stringify:

    fast-safe-stringify efficiently handles circular references by using a fast algorithm that detects and replaces them with a placeholder. This prevents infinite loops and stack overflow errors during stringification, making it a reliable choice for complex objects.

  • safe-json-stringify:

    safe-json-stringify handles circular references by detecting them and replacing them with a customizable placeholder. It also allows you to limit the depth of stringification, which helps prevent excessive memory usage and makes it safer for large or deeply nested objects.

Performance

  • json-stringify-safe:

    json-stringify-safe is not specifically optimized for performance, but its simplicity and lightweight nature make it suitable for most use cases. However, it may not be the best choice for stringifying very large or complex objects due to potential performance limitations.

  • fast-safe-stringify:

    fast-safe-stringify is designed for high performance, especially when dealing with large objects and circular references. It is significantly faster than many other safe stringification libraries, making it suitable for performance-critical applications where speed and efficiency are essential.

  • safe-json-stringify:

    safe-json-stringify offers good performance while providing safety features. It is faster than many traditional methods of handling circular references, but its performance may vary depending on the complexity of the objects being stringified.

Customization

  • json-stringify-safe:

    json-stringify-safe provides minimal customization, allowing you to specify a placeholder for circular references. However, it does not offer advanced customization features, keeping it simple and easy to use without overwhelming the developer with options.

  • fast-safe-stringify:

    fast-safe-stringify offers limited customization, focusing on speed and safety. It does not provide extensive options for modifying the stringification process, which makes it straightforward to use but less flexible for specialized needs.

  • safe-json-stringify:

    safe-json-stringify allows for more customization compared to the other libraries. It lets you set a maximum depth for stringification, customize the circular reference placeholder, and exclude specific properties using a filter function, making it more versatile for different use cases.

Code Example

  • json-stringify-safe:

    Safe Stringification with json-stringify-safe

    const stringifySafe = require('json-stringify-safe');
    
    const obj = {
      name: 'Bob',
      circular: {},
    };
    obj.circular.self = obj; // Creating a circular reference
    
    const jsonString = stringifySafe(obj);
    console.log(jsonString);
    
  • fast-safe-stringify:

    Fast Safe Stringification with fast-safe-stringify

    const fastSafeStringify = require('fast-safe-stringify');
    
    const obj = {
      name: 'Alice',
      circular: {},
    };
    obj.circular.self = obj; // Creating a circular reference
    
    const jsonString = fastSafeStringify(obj);
    console.log(jsonString);
    
  • safe-json-stringify:

    Safe Stringification with safe-json-stringify

    const safeJsonStringify = require('safe-json-stringify');
    
    const obj = {
      name: 'Charlie',
      circular: {},
    };
    obj.circular.self = obj; // Creating a circular reference
    
    const jsonString = safeJsonStringify(obj);
    console.log(jsonString);
    
How to Choose: json-stringify-safe vs fast-safe-stringify vs safe-json-stringify
  • json-stringify-safe:

    Select json-stringify-safe if you require a simple and straightforward solution for handling circular references. It is easy to use and integrates well into existing codebases, making it a good choice for projects that need a quick fix without additional complexity.

  • fast-safe-stringify:

    Choose fast-safe-stringify if you need a high-performance solution that handles circular references and large objects efficiently. It is ideal for applications where speed is critical, and you want to minimize memory usage while ensuring safe stringification.

  • safe-json-stringify:

    Opt for safe-json-stringify if you want a balanced approach that offers safety against circular references while allowing customization of the stringification process. It provides options for limiting depth and excluding specific properties, making it suitable for more controlled stringification.

README for json-stringify-safe

json-stringify-safe

Like JSON.stringify, but doesn't throw on circular references.

Usage

Takes the same arguments as JSON.stringify.

var stringify = require('json-stringify-safe');
var circularObj = {};
circularObj.circularRef = circularObj;
circularObj.list = [ circularObj, circularObj ];
console.log(stringify(circularObj, null, 2));

Output:

{
  "circularRef": "[Circular]",
  "list": [
    "[Circular]",
    "[Circular]"
  ]
}

Details

stringify(obj, serializer, indent, decycler)

The first three arguments are the same as to JSON.stringify. The last is an argument that's only used when the object has been seen already.

The default decycler function returns the string '[Circular]'. If, for example, you pass in function(k,v){} (return nothing) then it will prune cycles. If you pass in function(k,v){ return {foo: 'bar'}}, then cyclical objects will always be represented as {"foo":"bar"} in the result.

stringify.getSerialize(serializer, decycler)

Returns a serializer that can be used elsewhere. This is the actual function that's passed to JSON.stringify.

Note that the function returned from getSerialize is stateful for now, so do not use it more than once.