Extracting Data from JSON in Oracle

Learn how to extract data from JSON in Oracle databases using features such as JSON_VALUE, JSON_QUERY, and JSON_TABLE for efficient data retrieval.
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JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a popular format for storing and exchanging data due to its readability and ease of use. Oracle databases offer built-in support for working with JSON data, enabling you to store, query, and extract data efficiently. In this guide, we'll explore how to extract data from JSON in Oracle using some of the most commonly used functions.

JSON Functions in Oracle

Oracle provides several functions to work with JSON data, including:

JSON_VALUE: Extracts a scalar value (such as a string, number, or boolean) from a JSON document.

JSON_QUERY: Extracts a JSON fragment from a JSON document.

JSON_TABLE: Transforms JSON data into a relational format, making it easy to query using SQL.

Let's dive into each function and see how to use them effectively.

JSON_VALUE

The JSON_VALUE function is used to extract a single value from a JSON document. Here's an example:

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In this query, json_column is the name of the column containing JSON data, and '$.key' is the JSON path expression specifying the location of the value you want to extract.

JSON_QUERY

The JSON_QUERY function is useful when you want to extract a JSON fragment (a portion of the JSON document) rather than a single value. Here's an example:

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In this query, the JSON path expression '$.key' specifies the JSON fragment you want to extract from json_column.

JSON_TABLE

The JSON_TABLE function is the most powerful option for transforming JSON data into a relational format. It allows you to specify a JSON path expression and create a virtual table with columns based on the data you want to extract. Here's an example:

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In this query, JSON_TABLE creates a virtual table with columns key1 and key2 extracted from json_column. You can specify the data types and JSON path expressions for each column.

Conclusion

Oracle provides powerful functions for extracting data from JSON, allowing you to leverage the flexibility and efficiency of JSON data in your database applications. By using functions like JSON_VALUE, JSON_QUERY, and JSON_TABLE, you can easily work with JSON data in a way that suits your specific use cases.