Merging Two JSON Files with a Dominant File That Overwrites Values

Learn how to easily merge two JSON files with a dominant one that overrides values. This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions using C#.
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Merging Two JSON Files with a Dominant File

In today’s digital world, working with JSON files is commonplace, especially when dealing with data exchange in web applications. However, when merging multiple JSON files, it can be tricky to manage overlapping keys and conflicting values. A common scenario arises when you want to merge two JSON files, where one JSON (the dominant file) should take precedence over the other (the subordinate file) and overwrite any existing values.

The Problem

Let's consider the challenge: you have two JSON files, and you want to combine them into a single JSON object. Here’s an example where you have a subordinate JSON that contains a series of nested properties and a dominant JSON that may override some of these properties with new values.

Example JSON Files

Subordinate JSON:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Dominating JSON:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Expected Merge Result:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Solution

To achieve the desired result of merging these two JSON objects where the dominant one overrides the subordinate values, you can use the Newtonsoft.Json library in C#. This library simplifies handling JSON operations significantly.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Install Newtonsoft.Json Library: First, ensure that you have the Newtonsoft.Json library installed in your project. You can do this using NuGet Package Manager.

Code to Merge JSON Objects: Below is a sample C# code snippet that accomplishes the merge:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Code

Using the JObject.Parse Method: This creates JSON objects from string representations of your JSON data.

Merging with Merge Method: The Merge method is used to combine the two JSON objects. The JsonMergeSettings allows you to specify how to handle overlapping properties:

MergeArrayHandling.Keep: Retains original array values when merging.

ReplaceNullValuesWith: Allows null values to be managed properly in the merge process.

Serialization: JsonConvert.SerializeObject converts merged JSON objects back to string format for easier reading and logging.

Conclusion

By utilizing the Newtonsoft.Json library and following the straightforward steps outlined above, you can easily merge two JSON files where a dominant file overwrites values in a subordinate file.

This method provides a robust way to manage your JSON data, ensuring that essential updates are reflected without losing existing information inadvertently.

Feel free to reach out if you have further questions or need additional assistance with JSON manipulation!