Asp.Net JSON Serialization And Deserialization in C#, VB.NET

By: Suresh Dasari Jan 31, 2017

Introduction:

Here we will learn how to implement JSON serialization and deserialization in asp.net using c#, vb.net with example or Use newtonsoft.json for JSON serialization and deserialization in asp.net using c#, vb.net with example or serializing and deserializing JSON data in asp.net using c#, vb.net with example. By using newtonsoft.json reference in our asp.net applications we can easily serialize and deserialize data based on our requirements.

Description:

In previous articles I explained Jsontextwriter example in c#, vb.net, jQuery convert JSON data to HTML table example, jQuery ajax json example in asp.net, convert data table to json string with example, convert string xml to datatable in c#, vb.net, convert json string to json object with example and many more articles related to in JSON, asp.net, mvc, c#, vb.net. Now I will explain how to use newtonsoft.json to serialize and deserialize JSON data in asp.net using c#, vb.net with example.

By using newtonsoft json we can easily serialize and deserialize data based on our requirements. Following are the methods to serialize and deserialize data in asp.net

JSON Serialization Method

Following is the serialize method to serialize list items into JSON string format.

C# Code

List<userdetails> details = new List<userdetails>();

userdetails user = new userdetails();

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 1, username = "suresh", location = "chennai" });

string strserialize = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(details);

VB.NET Code

Dim details As New List(Of userdetails)()

Dim user As New userdetails()

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 1,

.username = "suresh",

.location = "chennai"

})

Dim strserialize As String = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(details)

JSON DeSerialization Method

Following is the serialize method to serialize list items into JSON string format.

C# Code

string strmsg = "[{\"userid\":1,\"username\":\"suresh\",\"location\":\"chennai\"},{\"userid\":2,\"username\":\"rohini\",\"location\":\"guntur\"}]";

var user = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<userdetails>>(strmsg);

VB.NET Code

Dim strmsg As String = "[{""userid"":1,""username"":""suresh"",""location"":""chennai""},{""userid"":2,""username"":""rohini"",""location"":""guntur""}]"

Dim user = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(Of List(Of userdetails))(strmsg)

If you want complete example to implement serialization and deserialization for JSON data create new web application and open your Default.aspx page and write the code like as shown below.

<title>JSON Serialization and Deserialization in Asp.Net</title>

</head>

<body>

<asp:Button ID="btnSerialize" runat="server" Text="Serialize" OnClick="btnSerialize_Click" />

<asp:Button ID="btnDeserialize" runat="server" Text="DeSerialize" OnClick="btnDeserialize_Click" />

<div>

Serialized Data: <asp:Label ID="lblserial" runat="server"/>

</div>

<div>

DeSerialized Data: <asp:Label ID="lbldeserial" runat="server"/>

</div>

</form>

</body>

</html>

Now open code behind file and write the code like as shown below

C# Code

using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using Newtonsoft.Json;

public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page

{

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

}

protected void btnSerialize_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

List<userdetails> details = new List<userdetails>();

userdetails user = new userdetails();

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 1, username = "suresh", location = "chennai" });

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 2, username = "rohini", location = "guntur" });

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 3, username = "praveen", location = "bangalore" });

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 4, username = "sateesh", location = "vizag" });

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 5, username = "madhav", location = "nagpur" });

details.Add(new userdetails { userid = 6, username = "honey", location = "nagpur" });

string strserialize = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(details);

lblserial.Text = strserialize;

}

protected void btnDeserialize_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

string strmsg = "[{\"userid\":1,\"username\":\"suresh\",\"location\":\"chennai\"},{\"userid\":2,\"username\":\"rohini\",\"location\":\"guntur\"}]";

var user = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<userdetails>>(strmsg);

}

class userdetails

{

public int userid { get; set; }

public string username { get; set; }

public string location { get; set; }

}

VB.NET Code

Imports Newtonsoft.Json

Partial Class VBCode

Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

Protected Sub Page_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load

End Sub

Protected Sub btnSerialize_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

Dim details As New List(Of userdetails)()

Dim user As New userdetails()

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 1,

.username = "suresh",

.location = "chennai"

})

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 2,

.username = "rohini",

.location = "guntur"

})

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 3,

.username = "praveen",

.location = "bangalore"

})

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 4,

.username = "sateesh",

.location = "vizag"

})

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 5,

.username = "madhav",

.location = "nagpur"

})

details.Add(New userdetails() With {

.userid = 6,

.username = "honey",

.location = "nagpur"

})

Dim strserialize As String = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(details)

lblserial.Text = strserialize

End Sub

Protected Sub btnDeserialize_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

Dim strmsg As String = "[{""userid"":1,""username"":""suresh"",""location"":""chennai""},{""userid"":2,""username"":""rohini"",""location"":""guntur""}]"

Dim user = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(Of List(Of userdetails))(strmsg)

End Sub

End Class

Public Class userdetails

Public Property userid() As Integer

Get

Return m_userid

End Get

Set

m_userid = Value

End Set

End Property

Private m_userid As Integer

Public Property username() As String

Get

Return m_username

End Get

Set

m_username = Value

End Set

End Property

Private m_username As String

Public Property location() As String

Get

Return m_location

End Get

Set

m_location = Value

End Set

End Property

Private m_location As String

End Class

If you observe above code we added namespace “Newtonsoft.JSON” this we can get by adding reference using Manage Nuget Packages. To add reference right click on your application à select Manage Nuget Packages à Go to Browse Tab à Search for Newtonsoft à From the list select Newtonsoft.Json and install it. Once we install the component that will show like as shown following.