Remove Square Brackets from JSON with the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER Option

Remove Square Brackets from JSON with the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER Option#

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 with a single-row result to generate a single JSON object as output instead of an array with a single element.

If you use this option with a multiple-row result, the resulting output is not valid JSON because of the multiple elements and the missing square brackets.

Example (single-row result)#

The following example shows the output of the FOR JSON clause with and without the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option.

Query

SELECT 2015 as year, 12 as month, 15 as day
  FOR JSON PATH, WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER

Result with the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option

{
    "year": 2015,
    "month": 12,
    "day": 15
}

Result (default) without the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option

[{
    "year": 2015,
    "month": 12,
    "day": 15
}]

Example (multiple-row result)

Here’s another example of a FOR JSON clause with and without the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option. This example produces a multiple-row result. The output is not valid JSON because of the multiple elements and the missing square brackets.

Query

SELECT TOP 3 SalesOrderNumber, OrderDate, Status
  FROM Sales.SalesOrderHeader
 ORDER BY ModifiedDate
   FOR JSON PATH, WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER

Result with the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option

{
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43662",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}, {
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43661",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}, {
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43660",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}

Result (default) without the WITHOUT_ARRAY_WRAPPER option

[{
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43662",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}, {
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43661",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}, {
    "SalesOrderNumber": "SO43660",
    "OrderDate": "2011-05-31T00:00:00",
    "Status": 5
}]

See also#