How to convert a JSON string to a dictionary?

Question

I want to make one function in my swift project that converts String to Dictionary json format but I got one error:

Cannot convert expression\'s type

Answer 1

let JSONData = jsonString.data(using: .utf8)!

let jsonResult = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data, options: .mutableLeaves)

guard let userDictionary = jsonResult as? Dictionary<String, AnyObject> else {
            throw NSError()}

Answer 2

I found code which converts the json string to NSDictionary or NSArray. Just add the extension.

SWIFT 3.0

HOW TO USE

let jsonData = (convertedJsonString as! String).parseJSONString

EXTENSION

extension String
{
var parseJSONString: AnyObject?
{
    let data = self.data(using: String.Encoding.utf8, allowLossyConversion: false)
    if let jsonData = data
    {
        // Will return an object or nil if JSON decoding fails
        do
        {
            let message = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: jsonData, options:.mutableContainers)
            if let jsonResult = message as? NSMutableArray {
                return jsonResult //Will return the json array output
            } else if let jsonResult = message as? NSMutableDictionary {
                return jsonResult //Will return the json dictionary output
            } else {
                return nil
            }
        }
        catch let error as NSError
        {
            print("An error occurred: \(error)")
            return nil
        }
    }
    else
    {
        // Lossless conversion of the string was not possible
        return nil
    }
}

}

Answer 3

for swift 5, I write a demo to verify it.

extension String {

    /// convert JsonString to Dictionary
    func convertJsonStringToDictionary() -> [String: Any]? {
        if let data = data(using: .utf8) {
            return (try? JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: data, options: [])) as? [String: Any]
        }

        return nil
    }
}

let str = "{\"name\":\"zgpeace\"}"
let dict = str.convertJsonStringToDictionary()
print("string > \(str)")  
// string > {"name":"zgpeace"}
print("dicionary > \(String(describing: dict))") 
// dicionary > Optional(["name": zgpeace])

Answer 4

Details

• Xcode Version 10.3 (10G8), Swift 5

Solution

import Foundation

// MARK: - CastingError

struct CastingError: Error {
    let fromType: Any.Type
    let toType: Any.Type
    init<FromType, ToType>(fromType: FromType.Type, toType: ToType.Type) {
        self.fromType = fromType
        self.toType = toType
    }
}

extension CastingError: LocalizedError {
    var localizedDescription: String { return "Can not cast from \(fromType) to \(toType)" }
}

extension CastingError: CustomStringConvertible { var description: String { return localizedDescription } }

// MARK: - Data cast extensions

extension Data {
    func toDictionary(options: JSONSerialization.ReadingOptions = []) throws -> [String: Any] {
        return try to(type: [String: Any].self, options: options)
    }

    func to<T>(type: T.Type, options: JSONSerialization.ReadingOptions = []) throws -> T {
        guard let result = try JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: self, options: options) as? T else {
            throw CastingError(fromType: type, toType: T.self)
        }
        return result
    }
}

// MARK: - String cast extensions

extension String {
    func asJSON<T>(to type: T.Type, using encoding: String.Encoding = .utf8) throws -> T {
        guard let data = data(using: encoding) else { throw CastingError(fromType: type, toType: T.self) }
        return try data.to(type: T.self)
    }

    func asJSONToDictionary(using encoding: String.Encoding = .utf8) throws -> [String: Any] {
        return try asJSON(to: [String: Any].self, using: encoding)
    }
}

// MARK: - Dictionary cast extensions

extension Dictionary {
    func toData(options: JSONSerialization.WritingOptions = []) throws -> Data {
        return try JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: self, options: options)
    }
}

Usage

let value1 = try? data.toDictionary()
let value2 = try? data.to(type: [String: Any].self)
let value3 = try? data.to(type: [String: String].self)
let value4 = try? string.asJSONToDictionary()
let value5 = try? string.asJSON(to: [String: String].self)

Test sample

Do not forget to paste the solution code here

func testDescriber(text: String, value: Any) {
    print("\n//////////////////////////////////////////")
    print("-- \(text)\n\n  type: \(type(of: value))\n  value: \(value)")
}

let json1: [String: Any] = ["key1" : 1, "key2": true, "key3" : ["a": 1, "b": 2], "key4": [1,2,3]]
var jsonData = try? json1.toData()
testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func toDictionary()", value: json1)
if let data = jsonData {
    print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? data.toDictionary()))")
}

testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: Any]", value: json1)
if let data = jsonData {
    print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? data.to(type: [String: Any].self)))")
}

testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String] with cast error", value: json1)
if let data = jsonData {
    do {
        print("  Result: \(String(describing: try data.to(type: [String].self)))")
    } catch {
        print("  ERROR: \(error)")
    }
}

let array = [1,4,5,6]
testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [Int]", value: array)
if let data = try? JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: array) {
    print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? data.to(type: [Int].self)))")
}

let json2 = ["key1": "a", "key2": "b"]
testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]", value: json2)
if let data = try? JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: json2) {
    print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? data.to(type: [String: String].self)))")
}

let jsonString = "{\"key1\": \"a\", \"key2\": \"b\"}"
testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]", value: jsonString)
print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? jsonString.asJSON(to: [String: String].self)))")

testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]", value: jsonString)
print("  Result: \(String(describing: try? jsonString.asJSONToDictionary()))")

let wrongJsonString = "{\"key1\": \"a\", \"key2\":}"
testDescriber(text: "Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String] with JSONSerialization error", value: jsonString)
do {
    let json = try wrongJsonString.asJSON(to: [String: String].self)
    print("  Result: \(String(describing: json))")
} catch {
    print("  ERROR: \(error)")
}

Test log

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func toDictionary()

  type: Dictionary<String, Any>
  value: ["key4": [1, 2, 3], "key2": true, "key3": ["a": 1, "b": 2], "key1": 1]
  Result: Optional(["key4": <__NSArrayI 0x600002a35380>(
1,
2,
3
)
, "key2": 1, "key3": {
    a = 1;
    b = 2;
}, "key1": 1])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: Any]

  type: Dictionary<String, Any>
  value: ["key4": [1, 2, 3], "key2": true, "key3": ["a": 1, "b": 2], "key1": 1]
  Result: Optional(["key4": <__NSArrayI 0x600002a254d0>(
1,
2,
3
)
, "key2": 1, "key1": 1, "key3": {
    a = 1;
    b = 2;
}])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String] with cast error

  type: Dictionary<String, Any>
  value: ["key4": [1, 2, 3], "key2": true, "key3": ["a": 1, "b": 2], "key1": 1]
  ERROR: Can not cast from Array<String> to Array<String>

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [Int]

  type: Array<Int>
  value: [1, 4, 5, 6]
  Result: Optional([1, 4, 5, 6])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]

  type: Dictionary<String, String>
  value: ["key1": "a", "key2": "b"]
  Result: Optional(["key1": "a", "key2": "b"])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]

  type: String
  value: {"key1": "a", "key2": "b"}
  Result: Optional(["key1": "a", "key2": "b"])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String]

  type: String
  value: {"key1": "a", "key2": "b"}
  Result: Optional(["key1": a, "key2": b])

//////////////////////////////////////////
-- Sample test of func to<T>() -> [String: String] with JSONSerialization error

  type: String
  value: {"key1": "a", "key2": "b"}
  ERROR: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=3840 "Invalid value around character 21." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=Invalid value around character 21.}