Cakephp3: How can I return json data?

Question

I am having a ajax post call to a cakePhp Controller:

$.ajax({
                type: \"POST\",
                url: \'locations/add\',
                data: {
           


        

Answer 1

there are few things to return JSON response:

1. load RequestHandler component
2. set rendering mode as json
3. set content type
4. set required data
5. define _serialize value

for example you can move first 3 steps to some method in parent controller class:

protected function setJsonResponse(){
    $this->loadComponent('RequestHandler');
    $this->RequestHandler->renderAs($this, 'json');
    $this->response->type('application/json');
}

later in your controller you should call that method, and set required data;

if ($this->request->is('post')) {
    $location = $this->Locations->patchEntity($location, $this->request->data);

    $success = $this->Locations->save($location);

    $result = [ 'result' => $success ? 'success' : 'error' ];

    $this->setJsonResponse();
    $this->set(['result' => $result, '_serialize' => 'result']);
}

also it looks like you should also check for request->is('ajax); I'm not sure about returning json in case of GET request, so setJsonResponse method is called within if-post block;

in your ajax-call success handler you should check result field value:

success: function (response) {
             if(response.result == "success") {
                 console.log('success');
             } 
             else if(response.result === "error") {
                    console.log('error');
             }
         }