# parse\_json

[Read this page in HTML](https://www.scopedb.io/docs/reference/functions/semi-structured-data/parse_json)

Parses a JSON string into a ScopeQL value.

## Syntax

```scopeql
parse_json(<string>)
```

## Arguments

| Argument   | Type     | Description                                                              |
| ---------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `<string>` | `string` | Valid JSON text. Objects, arrays, scalars, and JSON `null` are accepted. |

## Returns

Returns `any`. JSON `null` and a NULL input both produce NULL. Invalid JSON raises an error; wrap the call in `TRY(...)` to return NULL on a parsing error.

## Examples

### Analyze a serialized checkout payload

Parse JSON text, extract fields from the returned `any` value, and cast an amount for aggregation.

```scopeql
VALUES
    ('{"channel":"web","total_cents":4900}'),
    ('{"channel":"web","total_cents":7900}'),
    ('{"channel":"mobile","total_cents":2900}')
SELECT parse_json($0) AS payload
SELECT payload['channel']::string AS channel, payload['total_cents']::int AS total_cents
GROUP BY channel
AGGREGATE sum(total_cents) AS sales_cents
ORDER BY channel
```

```text
+---------+-------------+
| channel | sales_cents |
+---------+-------------+
| mobile  | 2900        |
| web     | 12800       |
+---------+-------------+
```

### Identify malformed producer records

Use `TRY` to retain a result for every input while inspecting a batch that contains malformed JSON.

```scopeql
VALUES ('evt-17', '{"status":"paid"}'), ('evt-42', '{"status":')
SELECT $0 AS event_id, $1 AS raw_payload
SELECT event_id, TRY(parse_json(raw_payload)) AS payload
```

```text
+----------+-------------------+
| event_id | payload           |
+----------+-------------------+
| evt-17   | {"status":"paid"} |
| evt-42   | NULL              |
+----------+-------------------+
```

The malformed record produces NULL. Check for these NULL results before aggregating parsed values.