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+<!doctype html><html lang=en class=no-js> <head><meta charset=utf-8><meta name=viewport content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1"><meta name=description content="JSON for Modern C++ is a header-only C++11 library that makes JSON a first-class data type."><meta name=author content="Niels Lohmann"><link href="https://json.nlohmann.me/features/json_view/generic_code/" rel="canonical"><link href=../reading/ rel=prev><link href=../editing/ rel=next><link rel=icon href=../../../assets/images/favicon.png><meta name=generator content="mkdocs-1.6.1, mkdocs-material-9.8.0"><title>Writing generic code - JSON for Modern C++</title><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../assets/stylesheets/main.57a0d79d.min.css><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../assets/stylesheets/palette.fb2fffe2.min.css><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../css/custom.css><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../css/brand.css><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../css/fig-sax.css><link rel=stylesheet href=../../../css/fig-jsonview.css><link 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content </a> </div> <div data-md-component=announce> </div> <header class=md-header data-md-component=header> <nav class="md-header__inner md-grid" aria-label=Header> <a href=../../.. title="JSON for Modern C++" class="md-header__button md-logo" aria-label="JSON for Modern C++" data-md-component=logo> <img src=../../../images/wordmark-header.svg alt=logo> </a> <label class="md-header__button md-icon" for=__drawer> <svg xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M3 6h18v2H3zm0 5h18v2H3zm0 5h18v2H3z"/></svg> </label> <div class=md-header__title data-md-component=header-title> <div class=md-header__ellipsis> <div class=md-header__topic> <span class=md-ellipsis> JSON for Modern C++ </span> </div> <div class=md-header__topic data-md-component=header-topic> <span class=md-ellipsis> Writing generic code </span> </div> </div> </div> <form class=md-header__option data-md-component=palette> <input class=md-option data-md-color-media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" 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viewbox="0 0 24 24"><Line truncated
+<span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nf>print_names</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>json_editable_view</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>v</span><span class=p>);</span><span class=w>  </span><span class=c1>// also accepts a json_view, but no ordered_json_view</span>
+</code></pre></div> <p>This is the same pitfall as a <code>to_json</code>/<code>from_json</code> written for <code>json</code> instead of any <code>BasicJsonType</code>, which then does not work for <code>ordered_json</code>. The shortcuts are for declaring documents and views; a function that takes a view names the views it accepts with a template:</p> <div class=highlight><pre><span></span><code><span class=c1>// views of editable documents only</span>
+<span class=k>template</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>BasicJsonType</span><span class=o>&gt;</span>
+<span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>f</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>basic_json_view</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>BasicJsonType</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>view_mode</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>editable</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>v</span><span class=p>);</span>
+
+<span class=c1>// views of read-only documents only</span>
+<span class=k>template</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>BasicJsonType</span><span class=o>&gt;</span>
+<span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>f</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>basic_json_view</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>BasicJsonType</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>view_mode</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>read_only</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>v</span><span class=p>);</span>
+
+<span class=c1>// views of either document type</span>
+<span class=k>template</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>BasicJsonType</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>view_mode</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>Mode</span><span class=o>&gt;</span>
+<span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>f</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>basic_json_view</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>BasicJsonType</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>Mode</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>v</span><span class=p>);</span>
+</code></pre></div> <p>Views are passed by value: they are two pointers, cheap to copy, like a <code class=highlight><span class=n>std</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>string_view</span></code>. A <code>const&amp;</code> works as well, but a non-<code>const</code> reference does not bind to the views that <a href=../../../api/basic_json_document/root/ ><code>root()</code></a>, <a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/operator%5B%5D/ ><code>operator[]</code></a>, and <a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/at/ ><code>at()</code></a> return, so <code class=highlight><span class=n>f</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>doc</span><span class=p>.</span><span class=n>root</span><span class=p>())</span></code> would not compile.</p> <p>There is no conversion from an editable view to a read-only one, by design: the mode decides how a view walks the index. A read-only view reads a container in place, while a view of an editable document follows the links that edits leave behind, so a read-only view of an edited document would read stale values. The other direction is safe: a read-only document has no edits, so a view of it <a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/basic_json_view/ >converts</a> to an editable view, which reads it like an editable document before its first edit. A template deduces the mode without conversions, so the template forms above still accept only the modes they name. Views of both modes compare with <a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/operator_eq/ ><code>operator==</code></a>.</p> <p><a href=../../../api/is_json_view/ ><code>is_json_view&lt;T&gt;</code></a> tells views from other types, for constraints that cannot be written as a <code>basic_json_view&lt;...&gt;</code> parameter.</p> <h2 id=a-from_json-that-reads-views>A <code>from_json()</code> that reads views<a class=headerlink href=#a-from_json-that-reads-views title="Permanent link">&para;</a></h2> <p><a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/get/ ><code>get&lt;T&gt;()</code></a> on a view calls <code>T</code>'s <code>from_json()</code> with the view itself if that <code>from_json()</code> accepts views, and with <a href=../../../api/basic_json_view/materialize/ ><code>materialize()</code></a> otherwise. The <code>from_json()</code> functions of the <a href=../../../api/macros/nlohmann_define_type_intrusive/ ><code>NLOHMANN_DEFINE_TYPE_*</code></a>, <a href=../../../api/macros/nlohmann_define_derived_type/ ><code>NLOHMANN_DEFINE_DERIVED_TYPE_*</code></a>, and <a href=../../../api/macros/nlohmann_json_serialize_enum/ ><code>NLOHMANN_JSON_SERIALIZE_ENUM</code></a> macros, and those of the library for the standard types, accept views, so these types need nothing else. For decoding the statuses of twitter.json into structs, reading the view is about 5 times faster than <code class=highlight><span class=n>materialize</span><span class=p>().</span><span class=n>get</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>T</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=p>()</span></code>.</p> <p>A hand-written <code>from_json()</code> reads views if it is constrained to <code>json</code> values and views:</p> <div class=highlight><pre><span></span><code><span class=k>template</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>J</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>std</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>enable_if</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>&lt;</span>
+<span class=w>               </span><span class=n>nlohmann</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>is_json_view</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>J</span><span class=o>&gt;::</span><span class=n>value</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>||</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>std</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>is_same</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>J</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>nlohmann</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>json</span><span class=o>&gt;::</span><span class=n>value</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=kt>int</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>&gt;::</span><span class=n>type</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>=</span><span class=w> </span><span class=mi>0</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>&gt;</span>
+<span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>from_json</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=k>const</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>J</span><span class=o>&amp;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>j</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>person</span><span class=o>&amp;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>p</span><span class=p>)</span>
+<span class=p>{</span>
+<span class=w>    </span><span class=n>p</span><span class=p>.</span><span class=n>name</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>=</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>j</span><span class=p>.</span><span class=n>at</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=s>"name"</span><span class=p>).</span><span class=k>template</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>get</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>std</span><span class=o>::</span><span class=n>string</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=p>();</span>
+<span class=w>    </span><span class=n>p</span><span class=p>.</span><span class=n>age</span><span class=w> </span><span class=o>=</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>j</span><span class=p>.</span><span class=n>at</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=s>"age"</span><span class=p>).</span><span class=k>template</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>get</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=kt>int</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=p>();</span>
+<span class=p>}</span>
+</code></pre></div> <p>Its body may only use what views and <code>basic_json</code> have in common: the type checks, <code>at()</code>, <code>operator[]</code>, <code>contains()</code>, <code>value()</code>, <code>size()</code>, iteration and <code>items()</code>, and <code>get&lt;T&gt;()</code>/<code>get_to()</code>. An unconstrained <code class=highlight><span class=k>template</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=k>typename</span><span class=w> </span><span class=nc>BasicJsonType</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=kt>void</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>from_json</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=k>const</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>BasicJsonType</span><span class=o>&amp;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>j</span><span class=p>,</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>person</span><span class=o>&amp;</span><span class=w> </span><span class=n>p</span><span class=p>)</span></code>, as in <a href=../../arbitrary_types/ >arbitrary type conversions</a>, is never called with a view, as it might use <code>basic_json</code> functions a view does not have; such a type is converted through <code>materialize()</code>. A <code>from_json()</code> for <code>json</code> only is converted through <code>materialize()</code> as well.</p> <p>Reading the view and <code class=highlight><span class=n>materialize</span><span class=p>().</span><span class=n>get</span><span class=o>&lt;</span><span class=n>T</span><span class=o>&gt;</span><span class=p>()</span></code> give the same result, except for an object with a repeated key; see <a href=../differences/#duplicate-keys>Duplicate keys</a>.</p> <p><code>to_json()</code> is unaffected: it writes <code>basic_json</code> values, never views.</p> <h2 id=see-also>See also<a class=headerlink href=#see-also title="Permanent link">&para;</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href=../ >Zero-copy <abbr title="JavaScript Object Notation">JSON</abbr> views</a> - overview</li> <li><a href=../../../api/is_json_view/ ><code>is_json_view</code></a> - type trait to detect views</li> <li><a href=../../../api/view_mode/ ><code>view_mode</code></a> - read-only and editable views</li> <li><a href=../reading/ >Reading values</a> - what <code>get&lt;T&gt;()</code> converts without materializing</li> </ul> <h2 id=version-history>Version history<a class=headerlink href=#version-history title="Permanent link">&para;</a></h2> <ul> <li>Added in version 3.13.0 <span class=unreleased-version title="Not part of a release yet; the latest release is 3.12.0.">unreleased</span>.</li> </ul> <!-- https://squidfunk.github.io/mkdocs-material/reference/tooltips/#adding-a-glossary --> <aside class=md-source-file> <span class=md-source-file__fact> <span class=md-icon title="Last update"> <svg xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M21 13.1c-.1 0-.3.1-.4.2l-1 1 2.1 2.1 1-1c.2-.2.2-.6 0-.8l-1.3-1.3c-.1-.1-.2-.2-.4-.2m-1.9 1.8-6.1 6V23h2.1l6.1-6.1zM12.5 7v5.2l4 2.4-1 1L11 13V7zM11 21.9c-5.1-.5-9-4.8-9-9.9C2 6.5 6.5 2 12 2c5.3 0 9.6 4.1 10 9.3-.3-.1-.6-.2-1-.2s-.7.1-1 .2C19.6 7.2 16.2 4 12 4c-4.4 0-8 3.6-8 8 0 4.1 3.1 7.5 7.1 7.9l-.1.2z"/></svg> </span> <span class="git-revision-date-localized-plugin git-revision-date-localized-plugin-date" title="November 9, 2026 07:12:00 UTC">November 9, 2026</span> </span> </aside> </article> </div> <script>var tabs=__md_get("__tabs");if(Array.isArray(tabs))e:for(var set of document.querySelectorAll(".tabbed-set")){var labels=set.querySelector(".tabbed-labels");for(var tab of tabs)for(var label of labels.getElementsByTagName("label"))if(label.innerText.trim()===tab){var input=document.getElementById(label.htmlFor);input.checked=!0;continue e}}</script> <script>var target=document.getElementById(location.hash.slice(1));target&&target.name&&(target.checked=target.name.startsWith("__tabbed_"))</script> </div> <button type=button class="md-top md-icon" data-md-component=top hidden> <svg xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M13 20h-2V8l-5.5 5.5-1.42-1.42L12 4.16l7.92 7.92-1.42 1.42L13 8z"/></svg> Back to top </button> </main> <footer class=md-footer> <nav class="md-footer__inner md-grid" aria-label=Footer> <a href=../reading/ class="md-footer__link md-footer__link--prev" aria-label="Previous: Reading values"> <div class="md-footer__button md-icon"> <svg xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M20 11v2H8l5.5 5.5-1.42 1.42L4.16 12l7.92-7.92L13.5 5.5 8 11z"/></svg> </div> <div class=md-footer__title> <span class=md-footer__direction> Previous </span> <div class=md-ellipsis> Reading values </div> </div> </a> <a href=../editing/ class="md-footer__link md-footer__link--next" aria-label="Next: Editing a document"> <div class=md-footer__title> <span class=md-footer__direction> Next </span> <div class=md-ellipsis> Editing a document </div> </div> <div class="md-footer__button md-icon"> <svg xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg viewbox="0 0 24 24"><path d="M4 11v2h12l-5.5 5.5 1Line truncated