convert-json-data-to-rows-and-columns-with-openjson-sql-server.md

title	Convert JSON Data to Rows and Columns with OPENJSON (SQL Server) | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom	SQL2016_New_Updated
ms.date	01/31/2017
ms.prod	sql-server-2016
ms.reviewer
ms.suite
ms.technology	dbe-json
ms.tgt_pltfrm
ms.topic	article
helpviewer_keywords	OPENJSON JSON, importing importing JSON
ms.assetid	0c139901-01e2-49ef-9d62-57e08e32c68e
caps.latest.revision	31
author	douglaslMS
ms.author	douglasl
manager	jhubbard

Convert JSON Data to Rows and Columns with OPENJSON (SQL Server)

[!INCLUDEtsql-appliesto-ss2016-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md]

The OPENJSON rowset function converts JSON text into a set of rows and columns. Use OPENJSON to run SQL queries on JSON collections or to import JSON text into SQL Server tables.

The OPENJSON function takes a single JSON object or a collection of JSON objects and transforms them into one or more rows. By default, OPENJSON function returns the following.

• From a JSON object, all the key:value pairs that it finds at the first level.
• From a JSON array, all the elements of the array with their indexes.

Optionally add a WITH clause to specify the schema of the rows that the OPENJSON function returns. This explicit schema defines the structure of the output.

Use OPENJSON without an explicit schema for the output

When you use the OPENJSON function without providing an explicit schema for the results - that is, without a WITH clause after OPENJSON - the function returns a table with the following three columns.

1. The name of the property in the input object (or the index of the element in the input array).
2. The value of the property or the array element.
3. The type (for example, string, number, boolean, array or object).

Each property of the JSON object, or each element of the array, is returned as a separate row.

Here's a quick example that uses OPENJSON with the default schema and returns one row for each property of the JSON object.

Example

DECLARE @json NVARCHAR(MAX)

SET @json='{"name":"John","surname":"Doe","age":45,"skills":["SQL","C#","MVC"]}';

SELECT *
FROM OPENJSON(@json);

Results

key	value	type
name	John	1
surname	Doe	1
age	45	2
skills	["SQL","C#","MVC"]	4

More info

For more info and examples, see Use OPENJSON with the Default Schema (SQL Server).

For syntax and usage, see OPENJSON (Transact-SQL).

Use OPENJSON with an explicit schema for the output

When you specify a schema for the results by using the WITH clause of the OPENJSON function, the function returns a table with only the columns that you define in the WITH clause. In the WITH clause, you specify a set output columns, their types, and the paths of the JSON source properties for each output value. OPENJSON iterates through the array of JSON objects, reads the value on the specified path for each column, and converts the value to the specified type.

Here's a quick example that uses OPENJSON with a schema for the results that you explicitly specify.

Example

DECLARE @json NVARCHAR(MAX)
SET @json =   
  N'[  
       {  
         "Order": {  
           "Number":"SO43659",  
           "Date":"2011-05-31T00:00:00"  
         },  
         "AccountNumber":"AW29825",  
         "Item": {  
           "Price":2024.9940,  
           "Quantity":1  
         }  
       },  
       {  
         "Order": {  
           "Number":"SO43661",  
           "Date":"2011-06-01T00:00:00"  
         },  
         "AccountNumber":"AW73565",  
         "Item": {  
           "Price":2024.9940,  
           "Quantity":3  
         }  
      }  
 ]'  
   
SELECT * FROM  
 OPENJSON ( @json )  
WITH (   
              Number   varchar(200) '$.Order.Number' ,  
              Date     datetime     '$.Order.Date',  
              Customer varchar(200) '$.AccountNumber',  
              Quantity int          '$.Item.Quantity'  
 ) 

Results

Number	Date	Customer	Quantity
SO43659	2011-05-31T00:00:00	AW29825	1
SO43661	2011-06-01T00:00:00	AW73565	3

This function returns and formats the elements of a JSON array.

• For each element in the JSON array, OPENJSON generates a new row in the output table. The two elements in the JSON array are converted into two rows in the returned table.

• For each column, specified by using the colName type json_path syntax, OPENJSON function converts the value found in each array element on the specified path to specified type and populates a cell in the output table. In this example, values for the Date column are taken from each object on the path $.Order.Date and converted to datetime values.

After you transform a JSON collection into a rowset with OPENJSON, you can run any SQL query on the returned data or insert it into a table.

More info

For more info and examples, see Use OPENJSON with an Explicit Schema (SQL Server).

For syntax and usage, see OPENJSON (Transact-SQL).

OPENJSON requires Compatibility Level 130

The OPENJSON function is available only under compatibility level 130. If your database compatibility level is lower than 130, SQL Server can't find and run OPENJSON function. Other built-in JSON functions are available at all compatibility levels. You can check compatibility level in sys.databases view or in database properties.

You can change a compatibility level of database using the following command:
ALTER DATABASE <DatabaseName> SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL = 130

Learn more about the built-in JSON support in SQL Server

For lots of specific solutions, use cases, and recommendations, see the blog posts about the built-in JSON support in SQL Server and in Azure SQL Database by Microsoft Program Manager Jovan Popovic.

See Also

OPENJSON (Transact-SQL)