[php-src] Issue #22137: json_file_encode()/json_file_decode(): provide a higher‑level, file‑oriented shortcut
[email protected] (ndividua861) Sat, 23 May 2026 22:39:02 +0000
| Newsgroups | php.bugs |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
Issue: https://github.com/php/php-src/issues/22137
Author: ndividua861
### Description
### Motivation
To load a text file into an array PHP already provides `file()`.
For JSON, however, the common pattern is more verbose:
```php
$data = json_decode(file_get_contents($file), true);
```
This combination is used so often that it deserves its own pair of helper functions.
***
### Proposed functions
1. **`json_file_decode(string $fileName[, ?bool $object = true]): array|object|false`**
2. **`json_file_encode(string $fileName, array $array): true|false`**
These functions are meant as convenience wrappers around `json_decode` and `json_encode` + file I/O, modeled after helpers such as `file()`.
***
### Behavior and rationale
#### `json_file_decode`
- Reads the contents of `$fileName` and decodes it as JSON in one call.
- The optional `$object` parameter mirrors `json_decode`’s second argument:
- `true` (default): return an associative array.
- `false`: return objects.
- `null`: treated as `true` (array), for consistency with `json_decode`.
- Returns the decoded value (`array` or `object`) on success, or `false` on failure (file not readable, missing, or invalid JSON).
- On failure, it does not throw by default; consumers can check the return value and inspect `json_last_error()` / `json_last_error_msg()` for details.
#### `json_file_encode`
- Encodes `$array` to a JSON string and writes it to `$fileName` in a single call.
- Returns `true` on success, `false` on failure (encoding error or I/O error).
- The implementation should use an atomic‑style write (write to temporary file in the same directory, then `rename`) to avoid partial writes or corruption.
- Future versions could extend this with flags for options such as pretty‑printing or different JSON constants, but the initial API stays minimal.
***
### Example usage
```php
// Read JSON file into array
$data = json_file_decode('/path/to/config.json');
if ($data === false) {
die('Failed to load or parse JSON.');
}
// Read JSON file into object
$obj = json_file_decode('/path/to/data.json', false);
if ($obj === false) {
die('Failed to load or parse JSON.');
}
// Write array back to JSON file
if (!json_file_encode('/path/to/data.json', $data)) {
die('Failed to write JSON.');
}
```
***
### Sample PHP implementation
```php
<?php
/**
* Read a JSON file and decode it into an array or object.
*
* @param string $fileName Path to the JSON file.
* @param bool|null $object If true, return associative array; if false, return objects.
* If null, default to true (array).
* @return array|object|false Decoded data, or false on error.
*/
function json_file_decode(string $fileName, ?bool $object = true): array|object|false
{
// Treat null as true (array) for consistency with json_decode.
$assoc = ($object === null) ? true : !$object;
if (!is_readable($fileName)) {
return false;
}
$json = @file_get_contents($fileName);
if ($json === false) {
return false;
}
$data = json_decode($json, $assoc);
return ($data === null && json_last_error() !== JSON_ERROR_NONE) ? false : $data;
}
/**
* Encode an array as JSON and write it to a file.
*
* @param string $fileName Path to the JSON file.
* @param array $array Data to encode and write.
* @return bool True on success, false on failure.
*/
function json_file_encode(string $fileName, array $array): bool
{
$json = json_encode($array, JSON_UNESCAPED_SLASHES | JSON_UNESCAPED_UNICODE);
if ($json === false) {
return false;
}
// Use a temporary file in the same directory for atomic‑style write.
$dir = dirname($fileName);
$temp = tempnam($dir, 'json_');
if ($temp === false) {
return false;
}
$ok = file_put_contents($temp, $json) !== false;
if ($ok) {
$ok = rename($temp, $fileName);
}
if (!$ok && file_exists($temp)) {
@unlink($temp);
}
return $ok;
}
```
***
### Compatibility and naming
- The proposed names are descriptive and follow PHP naming conventions for file helpers.
- Return `false` on failure, consistent with `file_get_contents` and similar functions.
- The functions do not replace `json_decode` / `json_encode` but provide a higher‑level, file‑oriented shortcut for one of the most common patterns with JSON in PHP.