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title: "Remove Square Brackets from JSON - WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER Option | Microsoft Docs"
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# Remove Square Brackets from JSON - WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER Option
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2016-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2016-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  To remove the square brackets that surround the JSON output of the **FOR JSON** clause by default, specify the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option. Use this option to generate a single JSON object as output instead of an array.  
  
 If you don't specify this option, the JSON output is enclosed within square brackets.  
  
## Examples  
 The following example shows the output of the **FOR JSON** clause with and without the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option.  
  
 **Query**  
  
```tsql  
SELECT 2015 as year, 12 as month, 15 as day  
FOR JSON PATH, WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER 
```  

 **Result** with the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option  
  
```json  
{
	"year": 2015,
	"month": 12,
	"day": 15
} 
```  
  
 **Result** without the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option  
  
```json  
[{
	"year": 2015,
	"month": 12,
	"day": 15
}]
```  
  
 Here's another example of a **FOR JSON** clause with and without the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option.  
  
 **Query**  
  
```tsql  
SELECT TOP 1 SalesOrderNumber, OrderDate, Status  
FROM Sales.SalesOrderHeader  
ORDER BY ModifiedDate  
FOR JSON PATH, WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER 
```  
  
 **Result** with the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option  
  
```json  
{
	"SalesOrderNumber": "SO43660",
	"OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
	"Status": 5
} 
```  
  
 **Result** without the **WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER** option  
  
```json  
[{
	"SalesOrderNumber": "SO43660",
	"OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
	"Status": 5
}]
```  
  
## See Also  
 [FOR Clause (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/queries/select-for-clause-transact-sql.md)