---
title: "JSON_OBJECT (Transact-SQL)"
description: JSON_OBJECT constructs JSON object text from zero or more expressions.
author: WilliamDAssafMSFT
ms.author: wiassaf
ms.reviewer: umajay
ms.date: 05/13/2024
ms.service: sql
ms.subservice: t-sql
ms.topic: reference
f1_keywords:
  - "JSON_OBJECT"
  - "JSON_OBJECT_TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "JSON_OBJECT function"
  - "JSON, validating"
dev_langs:
  - "TSQL"
ms.custom:
  - build-2024
monikerRange: "=azuresqldb-current||>=sql-server-ver16||>=sql-server-linux-ver16||=azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# JSON_OBJECT (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE [sqlserver2022-asdb-asmi](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver2022-asdb-asmi.md)]

Constructs JSON object text from zero or more expressions.

## Syntax
  
```syntaxsql
JSON_OBJECT ( [ <json_key_value> [,...n] ] [ json_null_clause ] )

<json_key_value> ::= json_key_name : value_expression

<json_null_clause> ::=
      NULL ON NULL
    | ABSENT ON NULL
```
  
## Arguments

#### *json_key_name*
 Is a character expression that defines the value of the JSON key name.

 *value_expression*
 Is an expression that defines the value of the JSON key.

#### *json_null_clause* 

Can be used to control the behavior of JSON_OBJECT function when value_expression is `NULL`. The option `NULL ON NULL `converts the SQL `NULL` value into a JSON null value when generating the JSON key value. The option `ABSENT ON NULL` will omit the entire key if the value is `NULL`. The default setting for this option is `NULL ON NULL`.

## Return value

Returns a valid JSON object string of **nvarchar(max)** type.

For more info about what you see in the output of the `JSON_OBJECT` function, see the following articles:  

-   [How FOR JSON converts SQL Server data types to JSON data types (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/json/how-for-json-converts-sql-server-data-types-to-json-data-types-sql-server.md)  
    The `JSON_OBJECT` function uses the rules described in this `FOR JSON` article to convert SQL data types to JSON types in the JSON object output.  

-   [How FOR JSON escapes special characters and control characters (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/json/how-for-json-escapes-special-characters-and-control-characters-sql-server.md)  
    The `JSON_OBJECT` function escapes special characters and represents control characters in the JSON output as described in this `FOR JSON` article.

## Examples

### Example 1

The following example returns an empty JSON object.
  
```sql
SELECT JSON_OBJECT();
```  

**Result**

```json  
{}
```

### Example 2

The following example returns a JSON object with two keys.  
  
```sql  
SELECT JSON_OBJECT('name':'value', 'type':1)
```

**Result**

```json  
{"name":"value","type":1}
```
  
### Example 3

The following example returns a JSON object with one key since the value for one of the keys is `NULL` and the `ABSENT ON NULL` option is specified.  
  
```sql  
SELECT JSON_OBJECT('name':'value', 'type':NULL ABSENT ON NULL)
```

**Result**

```json  
{"name":"value"}
```
  
### Example 4
The following example returns a JSON object with two keys. One key contains a JSON string and another key contains a JSON array.  
  
```sql  
SELECT JSON_OBJECT('name':'value', 'type':JSON_ARRAY(1, 2))
```

**Result**

```json  
{"name":"value","type":[1,2]}
```

### Example 5

The following example returns a JSON object with a two keys. One key contains a JSON string and another key contains a JSON object.  
  
```sql  
SELECT JSON_OBJECT('name':'value', 'type':JSON_OBJECT('type_id':1, 'name':'a'))
```

**Result**

```json  
{"name":"value","type":{"type_id":1,"name":"a"}}
```
  
### Example 6

The following example returns a JSON object with the inputs specified as variables or SQL expressions.  
  
```sql  
DECLARE @id_key nvarchar(10) = N'id',@id_value nvarchar(64) = NEWID();
SELECT JSON_OBJECT('user_name':USER_NAME(), @id_key:@id_value, 'sid':(SELECT @@SPID))
```

**Result**

```json  
{"user_name":"dbo","id":"E2CBD8B4-13C1-4D2F-BFF7-E6D722F095FD","sid":63}
```

### Example 7

The following example returns a JSON object per row in the query.  
  
```sql  
SELECT s.session_id, JSON_OBJECT('security_id':s.security_id, 'login':s.login_name, 'status':s.status) as info
FROM sys.dm_exec_sessions AS s
WHERE s.is_user_process = 1;
```

**Result**

|`session_id`|`info`|  
|--------|---------------|
|51|`{"security_id":"AQYAAAAAAAVQAAAAY/0dmFnai5oioQHh9eNArBIkYd4=","login":"NT SERVICE\\SQLTELEMETRY$SQL22"`,"status":"sleeping"}|
|52|`{"security_id":"AQUAAAAAAAUVAAAAoGXPfnhLm1/nfIdwAMgbAA==","login":WORKGROUP\\sqluser","status":"running"}`|

## Related content

- [JSON data in SQL Server](../../relational-databases/json/json-data-sql-server.md)