hjson vs json5 vs strip-json-comments
JSON Parsing and Manipulation
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JSON Parsing and Manipulation

JSON Parsing and Manipulation libraries in JavaScript provide tools for working with JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data, which is a widely used format for data interchange. These libraries offer features for parsing JSON strings into JavaScript objects, serializing objects into JSON format, and manipulating JSON data with greater flexibility and ease. They often include enhancements over the native JSON methods, such as better handling of comments, support for non-standard syntax, and more customizable serialization options. This makes them valuable for web development, APIs, and any application that interacts with JSON data.

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hjson0431-276 years agoMIT
json507,130235 kB40-MIT
strip-json-comments06248.2 kB010 months agoMIT

Feature Comparison: hjson vs json5 vs strip-json-comments

Comment Support

  • hjson:

    hjson supports comments natively, allowing both single-line (//) and multi-line (/* ... */) comments. This makes it easy to document your data directly within the file without any additional processing.

  • json5:

    json5 also supports comments, including single-line and multi-line comments. This feature allows for better documentation and clarity within JSON5 files, making them easier to understand.

  • strip-json-comments:

    strip-json-comments is specifically designed to remove comments from JSON strings. It does not support comments itself but provides a way to strip them out, ensuring the resulting JSON is valid.

Syntax Flexibility

  • hjson:

    hjson offers a more relaxed syntax compared to standard JSON, allowing for features like multi-line strings, unquoted keys, and more. This flexibility makes it easier to write and read, especially for configuration files.

  • json5:

    json5 is a superset of JSON that allows for unquoted keys, trailing commas, and more lenient parsing. This makes it more forgiving and easier to work with, especially when dealing with large or complex data structures.

  • strip-json-comments:

    strip-json-comments does not alter the syntax of JSON; it simply removes comments. It is a lightweight tool that ensures your JSON remains compliant while allowing you to include comments during development.

Use Case

  • hjson:

    hjson is ideal for configuration files, data interchange where readability is important, and scenarios where you want to allow more human-friendly input while still being able to convert to standard JSON.

  • json5:

    json5 is suitable for any application that can benefit from a more flexible JSON format, including configuration files, data serialization, and APIs that can handle the extended syntax.

  • strip-json-comments:

    strip-json-comments is perfect for preprocessing JSON files or strings that contain comments, making it useful for projects that want to maintain standard JSON compliance while allowing comments in the source files.

Example Code

  • hjson:

    Example of hjson with comments and relaxed syntax:

    {
  // This is a comment
  name: "John Doe",  // Inline comment
  age: 30,
  hobbies: [
    "reading",
    /* This is a multi-line comment
       that explains the hobbies
    */
    "hiking",
    "coding"
  ],
  address: {
    street: "123 Main St",
    city: "Anytown",
    zip: "12345"
  }
}
  • json5:

    Example of json5 with comments and flexible syntax:

    {
  // This is a comment
  name: "Jane Doe", // Unquoted key
  age: 25,
  hobbies: [
    "painting",
    "traveling",
    "music",
    // Trailing comma
  ],
  address: {
    street: "456 Elm St",
    city: "Othertown",
    zip: "67890",
  }
}
  • strip-json-comments:

    Example of using strip-json-comments to remove comments:

    const stripJsonComments = require('strip-json-comments');

const jsonWithComments = `{
  // This is a comment
  "name": "Alice", // Inline comment
  "age": 28,
  "hobbies": [
    "drawing",
    "cycling" // Another comment
  ]
  /* Multi-line comment */
}`;

const jsonWithoutComments = stripJsonComments(jsonWithComments);
console.log(jsonWithoutComments);
// Output:
// {
//   "name": "Alice",
//   "age": 28,
//   "hobbies": [
//     "drawing",
//     "cycling"
//   ]
// }

How to Choose: hjson vs json5 vs strip-json-comments

  • hjson:

    Choose hjson if you need a human-friendly JSON format that supports comments, multi-line strings, and more relaxed syntax while still being easily convertible to standard JSON. It is ideal for configuration files and scenarios where readability is a priority.

  • json5:

    Select json5 if you want to work with a superset of JSON that allows for comments, trailing commas, and unquoted keys, making it more flexible and forgiving than standard JSON. It is great for projects that require a more lenient syntax while maintaining compatibility with JSON.

  • strip-json-comments:

    Use strip-json-comments if you only need to remove comments from JSON strings before parsing them. This lightweight package is perfect for situations where you want to keep your JSON files standard-compliant but still want to include comments for documentation purposes.

Similar Npm Packages to hjson

hjson is a human-friendly JSON format that aims to make JSON more readable and writable for humans. It allows for comments, flexible syntax, and a more relaxed structure compared to standard JSON, making it easier to work with, especially for configuration files. Hjson is particularly useful in scenarios where configuration files need to be edited by non-developers or when readability is a priority.

While Hjson provides a unique approach to data serialization, there are several alternatives that also offer human-readable formats. Here are a few notable options:

  • json5 is an extension of JSON that allows for a more flexible syntax, including comments, trailing commas, and unquoted property names. It is designed to be a superset of JSON, making it easy to parse JSON5 data using existing JSON parsers. If you need a format that retains the structure of JSON while allowing for more human-friendly features, JSON5 is an excellent choice.
  • toml is a configuration file format that is designed to be easy to read due to its clear semantics. It uses a simple key-value pair structure and supports nested tables, arrays, and comments. TOML is often favored for configuration files in projects where clarity and simplicity are paramount. If you are looking for a format that is both human-readable and easy to parse, TOML is a strong candidate.
  • yaml (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization format that is often used for configuration files and data exchange between languages. YAML supports complex data structures, including lists and dictionaries, and allows for comments, making it a versatile choice for many applications. If you need a format that can handle complex data structures while remaining readable, YAML is a popular and powerful option.

To explore how Hjson compares with JSON5, TOML, and YAML, check out the comparison: Comparing hjson vs json5 vs toml vs yaml.

Similar Npm Packages to json5

json5 is a JavaScript library that extends JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) to allow for a more human-friendly syntax. It enables developers to write JSON-like data structures with additional features such as comments, unquoted keys, and trailing commas. This makes it easier to read and write configuration files or data structures without the strict syntax rules of standard JSON. By using json5, developers can create more maintainable and understandable data representations, especially in scenarios where configuration files are frequently edited.

While json5 offers a flexible approach to data representation, there are alternatives that also aim to improve upon standard JSON. One notable alternative is hjson. Hjson is a user-friendly alternative to JSON that allows for a more relaxed syntax, making it easier to read and write. It supports features like comments, multi-line strings, and more intuitive formatting options. Hjson is particularly useful for configuration files and data interchange where human readability is a priority.

For a detailed comparison between json5 and hjson, you can visit: Comparing hjson vs json5.

Similar Npm Packages to strip-json-comments

strip-json-comments is a utility library that allows developers to remove comments from JSON files. Since standard JSON does not support comments, this package is particularly useful when working with configuration files or other JSON-like structures that may include comments for clarity. By stripping out comments, developers can ensure that their JSON data remains valid and can be easily parsed by JSON parsers.

While strip-json-comments serves a specific purpose, there are alternatives that provide additional features or different approaches to handling JSON-like data. Here are a couple of noteworthy alternatives:

  • hjson is a user-friendly alternative to JSON that allows for comments and more flexible syntax. Hjson is designed to be easy to read and write, making it a great choice for configuration files. It supports comments, trailing commas, and unquoted keys, which can make the data more approachable for developers. If you need a format that allows for comments and a more relaxed syntax while still being able to convert to JSON, hjson is an excellent option.
  • json5 is another alternative that extends JSON with additional features, including support for comments, trailing commas, and more flexible syntax. JSON5 aims to make JSON more human-friendly by allowing for unquoted keys and multi-line strings. This makes it easier to write and maintain configuration files or data structures. If you are looking for a more forgiving syntax that still compiles down to standard JSON, json5 is a great choice.

To see how strip-json-comments compares with hjson and json5, check out the comparison: Comparing hjson vs json5 vs strip-json-comments.

README for hjson

hjson-js

Build Status NPM version License

Hjson, a user interface for JSON

Hjson Intro

JSON is easy for humans to read and write... in theory. In practice JSON gives us plenty of opportunities to make mistakes without even realizing it.

Hjson is a syntax extension to JSON. It's NOT a proposal to replace JSON or to incorporate it into the JSON spec itself. It's intended to be used like a user interface for humans, to read and edit before passing the JSON data to the machine.

{
  # specify rate in requests/second (because comments are helpful!)
  rate: 1000

  // prefer c-style comments?
  /* feeling old fashioned? */

  # did you notice that rate doesn't need quotes?
  hey: look ma, no quotes for strings either!

  # best of all
  notice: []
  anything: ?

  # yes, commas are optional!
}

The JavaScript implementation of Hjson is based on JSON-js. For other platforms see hjson.github.io.

Install from npm

npm install hjson

Usage

var Hjson = require('hjson');

var obj = Hjson.parse(hjsonText);
var text2 = Hjson.stringify(obj);

To keep comments intact see API.

From the Commandline

Install with npm install hjson -g.

Usage:
  hjson [OPTIONS]
  hjson [OPTIONS] INPUT
  hjson (-h | --help | -?)
  hjson (-V | --version)

INPUT can be in JSON or Hjson format. If no file is given it will read from stdin.
The default is to output as Hjson.

Options:
  (-j | -json)  output as formatted JSON.
  (-c | -json=compact)  output as JSON.
Options for Hjson output:
  -sl         output the opening brace on the same line
  -quote      quote all strings
  -quote=all  quote keys as well
  -js         output in JavaScript/JSON compatible format
              can be used with -rt and // comments
  -rt         round trip comments
  -nocol      disable colors
  -cond=n     set condense option (default 60, 0 to disable)

Domain specific formats are optional extensions to Hjson and can be enabled with the following options:
  +math: support for Inf/inf, -Inf/-inf, Nan/naN and -0
  +hex: parse hexadecimal numbers prefixed with 0x
  +date: support ISO dates

Sample:

  • run hjson -j test.hjson > test.json to convert to JSON
  • run hjson test.json > test.hjson to convert to Hjson
  • run hjson test.json to view colorized output

API

The API is the same for the browser and node.js version.

NOTE that the DSF api is considered experimental

Hjson.parse(text, options)

This method parses JSON or Hjson text to produce an object or array.

  • text: the string to parse as JSON or Hjson
  • options: object
    • keepWsc: boolean, keep white space and comments. This is useful if you want to edit an hjson file and save it while preserving comments (default false)

Hjson.stringify(value, options)

This method produces Hjson text from a JavaScript value.

  • value: any JavaScript value, usually an object or array.
  • options: object
    • keepWsc: boolean, keep white space. See parse.
    • condense: integer, will try to fit objects/arrays onto one line. Default 0 (off).
    • bracesSameLine: boolean, makes braces appear on the same line as the key name. Default false.
    • emitRootBraces: boolean, show braces for the root object. Default true.
    • quotes: string, controls how strings are displayed. (setting separator implies "strings")
      • "min": no quotes whenever possible (default)
      • "keys": use quotes around keys
      • "strings": use quotes around string values
      • "all": use quotes around keys and string values
    • multiline: string, controls how multiline strings are displayed. (setting quotes implies "off")
      • "std": strings containing \n are shown in multiline format (default)
      • "no-tabs": like std but disallow tabs
      • "off": show in JSON format
    • separator: boolean, output a comma separator between elements. Default false
    • space: specifies the indentation of nested structures. If it is a number, it will specify the number of spaces to indent at each level. If it is a string (such as '\t' or ' '), it contains the characters used to indent at each level.
    • eol: specifies the EOL sequence (default is set by Hjson.setEndOfLine())
    • colors: boolean, output ascii color codes
    • serializeDeterministically: boolean, when serializing objects into hjson, order the keys based on their UTF-16 code units order. Default false.

Hjson.endOfLine(), .setEndOfLine(eol)

Gets or sets the stringify EOL sequence ('\n' or '\r\n'). When running with node.js this defaults to os.EOL.

Hjson.rt { parse, stringify }

This is a shortcut to roundtrip your comments when reading and updating a config file. It is the same as specifying the keepWsc option for the parse and stringify functions.

Hjson.version

The version number.

require-hook

Require a config file directly.

require("hjson/lib/require-config");
var cfg=require("./config.hjson");

modify & keep comments

You can modify a Hjson file and keep the whitespace & comments intact (round trip). This is useful if an app updates its config file.

// parse, keep whitespace and comments
// (they are stored in a non enumerable __COMMENTS__ member)
var data = Hjson.rt.parse(text);

// modify like you normally would
data.foo = "text";

// convert back to Hjson
console.log(Hjson.rt.stringify(data));

Build

To run all tests and create the bundle output, first install the dev dependencies with npm i and then run npm run build.

History

see history.md

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