Returning JSON from a PHP Script

Question

I want to return JSON from a PHP script.

Do I just echo the result? Do I have to set the Content-Type header?

Answer 1

This question got many answers but none cover the entire process to return clean JSON with everything required to prevent the JSON response to be malformed.

/*
 * returnJsonHttpResponse
 * @param $success: Boolean
 * @param $data: Object or Array
 */
function returnJsonHttpResponse($success, $data)
{
    // remove any string that could create an invalid JSON 
    // such as PHP Notice, Warning, logs...
    ob_clean();

    // this will clean up any previously added headers, to start clean
    header_remove(); 

    // Set the content type to JSON and charset 
    // (charset can be set to something else)
    header("Content-type: application/json; charset=utf-8");

    // Set your HTTP response code, 2xx = SUCCESS, 
    // anything else will be error, refer to HTTP documentation
    if ($success) {
        http_response_code(200);
    } else {
        http_response_code(500);
    }
    
    // encode your PHP Object or Array into a JSON string.
    // stdClass or array
    echo json_encode($data);

    // making sure nothing is added
    exit();
}

References:

response_remove

ob_clean

Content-type JSON

HTTP Codes

http_response_code

json_encode