What is use of the json_encode() and json_decode() functions in PHP?

In PHP, json_encode() and json_decode() are essential functions for handling JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data. JSON is a lightweight data-interchange format widely used for transmitting data between a server and a client in web applications.

Syntax:

// Encode PHP data to JSON format
$jsonString = json_encode($phpData);

// Decode JSON string to PHP data
$phpData = json_decode($jsonString);

Difference between json_encode() and json_decode()

json_encode()	json_decode()
Encodes PHP data into JSON format	Decodes JSON string into PHP data
Returns a JSON string	Returns a PHP data structure
Accepts optional parameters to modify encoding behavior	Accepts optional parameters to modify decoding behavior

Features:

• Serialization: json_encode() serializes PHP data structures into JSON strings, making it suitable for transmission or storage.
• Deserialization: json_decode() deserializes JSON strings, converting them back into PHP data structures for manipulation within the application.
• Error Handling: Both functions handle errors gracefully and provide options for error checking and handling.

Example:

// Encode PHP array to JSON string
$data = array("name" => "John", "age" => 30);
$jsonString = json_encode($data);

// Decode JSON string to PHP array
$decodedData = json_decode($jsonString, true); // true to return associative array

echo $jsonString; // Output: {"name":"John","age":30}
print_r($decodedData); // Output: Array ( [name] => John [age] => 30 )