Difference between JSON.stringify and JSON.parse

javascript, json

Solution

`JSON.stringify` turns a JavaScript object into JSON text and stores that JSON text in a string, eg:

var my_object = { key_1: "some text", key_2: true, key_3: 5 };

var object_as_string = JSON.stringify(my_object);  
// "{"key_1":"some text","key_2":true,"key_3":5}"  

typeof(object_as_string);  
// "string"

`JSON.parse` turns a string of JSON text into a JavaScript object, eg:

var object_as_string_as_object = JSON.parse(object_as_string);  
// {key_1: "some text", key_2: true, key_3: 5} 

typeof(object_as_string_as_object);  
// "object"

Problem

I have been confused over when to use these two parsing methods. After I echo my json_encoded data and retrieve it back via ajax, I often run into confusion about when I should use JSON.stringify and JSON.parse. I get `[object,object]` in my console.log when parsed and a JavaScript object when stringified. ``` $.ajax({ url: "demo_test.txt", success: function(data) { console.log(JSON.stringify(data)) /* OR */ console.log(JSON.parse(data)) //this is what I am unsure about? } }); ```

Original source