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kgabis/parson

Free

Lightweight JSON library written in C.

FreeFree tier
Type
Open Source

About kgabis/parson

Parson is a lightweight, C89-compatible JSON library written in C. It consists of only two files (parson.h and parson.c) and offers a simple API for parsing, serializing, and manipulating JSON data. Features include dot notation for accessing nested values, JSON validation, and support for file I/O. The library includes comprehensive test suites and is designed for easy integration into C projects.

Key Features

Lightweight (only 2 files: parson.h and parson.c)
Simple API for parsing, serialization, and manipulation
Dot notation for accessing nested JSON values (e.g., objectA.objectB.value)
C89 compatible
JSON validation against a schema
Parsing from files or strings
Serializing JSON values to files or strings
Includes test suites

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Extremely lightweight and simple to integrate
  • C89 compatible for broad platform support
  • Easy-to-use dot notation for accessing nested values
  • Includes validation capabilities
  • Minimal dependencies
Cons
  • Not suitable for streaming or high-performance parsing
  • Limited to basic JSON operations; no advanced features like JSONPath

Best For

Parsing JSON data from web APIsPersisting user configuration or data to JSON filesSerializing C data structures to JSONInterchanging data in C applications using JSON