json-stable-stringify vs sort-json
JSON Stringification Libraries Comparison
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json-stable-stringifysort-jsonSimilar Packages:
What's JSON Stringification Libraries?

JSON stringification libraries are essential tools in web development for converting JavaScript objects into JSON strings. They ensure that the output is consistent and predictable, which is particularly important when dealing with data interchange between systems or when storing data in a structured format. These libraries help maintain the order of object properties and provide options for customizing the stringification process, which can be crucial for applications that require deterministic output for caching or comparison purposes.

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json-stable-stringify7,009,2816336.4 kB618 days agoMIT
sort-json291,0677122.5 kB13-MIT
Feature Comparison: json-stable-stringify vs sort-json

Deterministic Output

  • json-stable-stringify:

    json-stable-stringify guarantees that the output JSON string is always the same for the same input object, regardless of the order of properties in the object. This is achieved by sorting the keys of the object before stringification, making it ideal for scenarios where consistent output is crucial, such as in testing or caching.

  • sort-json:

    sort-json provides a straightforward approach to sorting the keys of a JSON object before converting it to a string. While it ensures that the keys are ordered, it does not guarantee that the output will be the same for objects with the same properties but in different orders, making it less suitable for strict deterministic requirements.

Performance

  • json-stable-stringify:

    json-stable-stringify may have a slight performance overhead due to the sorting of keys, especially for deeply nested objects or large datasets. However, this trade-off is often acceptable given the benefits of consistent output, particularly in applications where data integrity is paramount.

  • sort-json:

    sort-json is generally faster than json-stable-stringify because it focuses solely on sorting keys without additional features. This makes it a good choice for applications where performance is a critical factor and deterministic output is less of a concern.

Ease of Use

  • json-stable-stringify:

    json-stable-stringify has a simple API that makes it easy to integrate into existing codebases. It requires minimal configuration and can be used directly with JavaScript objects, making it user-friendly for developers of all skill levels.

  • sort-json:

    sort-json also offers a straightforward API, making it easy to use. It is designed for quick integration and is particularly useful for developers who need a fast solution for sorting JSON keys without additional complexity.

Customization

  • json-stable-stringify:

    json-stable-stringify allows for some customization through its options, enabling developers to specify how they want the stringification process to handle certain data types, such as arrays or nested objects. This flexibility can be beneficial for more complex data structures.

  • sort-json:

    sort-json offers limited customization options compared to json-stable-stringify. Its primary focus is on sorting keys, which means it may not cater to more complex stringification needs that require additional handling of various data types.

Community and Support

  • json-stable-stringify:

    json-stable-stringify has a robust community and is widely used in the Node.js ecosystem. It is well-documented, and developers can find ample resources and support for troubleshooting and best practices.

  • sort-json:

    sort-json, while useful, has a smaller community and fewer resources available compared to json-stable-stringify. This may impact the ease of finding support or examples for specific use cases.

How to Choose: json-stable-stringify vs sort-json
  • json-stable-stringify:

    Choose json-stable-stringify if you need a reliable way to produce a consistent JSON string representation of objects, especially when the order of properties matters. It is particularly useful for scenarios where you want to ensure that the same object always produces the same string output, which is essential for tasks like caching or testing.

  • sort-json:

    Choose sort-json if you are looking for a lightweight solution that focuses on sorting the keys of JSON objects before stringification. It is ideal for use cases where you want to ensure that the JSON output is consistently ordered, making it easier to read and compare, especially when dealing with large or complex objects.

README for json-stable-stringify

json-stable-stringify Version Badge

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deterministic version of JSON.stringify() so you can get a consistent hash from stringified results

You can also pass in a custom comparison function.

example

const stringify = require('json-stable-stringify');

const obj = { c: 8, b: [{ z: 6, y: 5, x: 4 }, 7], a: 3 };

console.log(stringify(obj));

output:

{"a":3,"b":[{"x":4,"y":5,"z":6},7],"c":8}

methods

const stringify = require('json-stable-stringify')

const str = stringify(obj, opts)

Return a deterministic stringified string str from the object obj.

options

cmp

If opts is given, you can supply an opts.cmp to have a custom comparison function for object keys. Your function opts.cmp is called with these parameters:

opts.cmp({ key: akey, value: avalue }, { key: bkey, value: bvalue }, { get(key): value })

For example, to sort on the object key names in reverse order you could write:

const stringify = require('json-stable-stringify');

const obj = { c: 8, b: [{ z: 6, y: 5, x: 4 },7], a: 3 };

const s = stringify(obj, function (a, b) {
	return b.key.localeCompare(a.key);
});

console.log(s);

which results in the output string:

{"c":8,"b":[{"z":6,"y":5,"x":4},7],"a":3}

Or if you wanted to sort on the object values in reverse order, you could write:

const stringify = require('json-stable-stringify');

const obj = { d: 6, c: 5, b: [{ z: 3, y: 2, x: 1 }, 9], a: 10 };

const s = stringify(obj, function (a, b) {
	return a.value < b.value ? 1 : -1;
});

console.log(s);

which outputs:

{"d":6,"c":5,"b":[{"z":3,"y":2,"x":1},9],"a":10}

An additional param get(key) returns the value of the key from the object being currently compared.

space

If you specify opts.space, it will indent the output for pretty-printing. Valid values are strings (e.g. {space: \t}) or a number of spaces ({space: 3}).

For example:

const obj = { b: 1, a: { foo: 'bar', and: [1, 2, 3] } };

const s = stringify(obj, { space: '  ' });

console.log(s);

which outputs:

{
  "a": {
    "and": [
      1,
      2,
      3
    ],
    "foo": "bar"
  },
  "b": 1
}

replacer

The replacer parameter is a function opts.replacer(key, value) that behaves the same as the replacer from the core JSON object.

install

With npm do:

npm install json-stable-stringify

license

MIT