Retrieve Specific JSON Properties from a JSON Collection in SQL Server Using Queries

Discover how to efficiently retrieve specific properties from a JSON collection stored in SQL Server columns with this comprehensive guide.
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How to Retrieve Specific JSON Properties from a JSON Collection in SQL Server

When working with data stored in SQL Server, you might encounter scenarios in which JSON data is stored within a NVARCHAR column. This presents a challenge when you're only interested in specific properties from that JSON structure. In this post, we will explore how to extract these properties efficiently using SQL queries.

The Challenge

Let's say you have a SQL table with the following structure:

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

The ItemDetails column stores a JSON collection, as illustrated below:

IdName1[{ "name": "Sam", "age": 14, "gender": "Male" }, { "name": "Sandra", "age": 15, "gender": "Female" }]2[{ "name": "Tom", "age": 22, "gender": "Male" }, { "name": "Caroline", "age": 25, "gender": "Female" }]Your goal is to retrieve a result set that looks like this:

IdName1Sam1Sandra2Tom2CarolineThis task becomes complicated when dealing with collections as opposed to single JSON objects.

The Solution

To extract specific properties from a JSON collection stored in SQL Server, you can use the OPENJSON() function. This function enables you to parse the JSON content and return the desired properties.

Step-by-Step Query Breakdown

Construct the Base Query: Start with a query using OPENJSON() combined with a CROSS APPLY to parse the JSON.

Define the Schema: Specify which properties to extract and their types.

Here's the SQL query you can use to achieve your desired output:

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

Explanation of the Query Components

CROSS APPLY OPENJSON(v.ItemDetails): This part is crucial as it applies the OPENJSON function to each item in the ItemDetails JSON array.

WITH (Name nvarchar(100) '$.name'): This specifies that we want to extract the name property from each JSON object and return it as a column named Name.

Execute the Query

Run the above query in your SQL Server environment. The output will display the Id alongside the extracted Name values from your JSON collection, organized as required.

Conclusion

Working with JSON data in SQL Server can initially seem daunting, especially when dealing with collections. However, with the right approach and the use of the OPENJSON() function, you can efficiently retrieve the data you need.

Armed with this knowledge, you can now navigate JSON complexities with ease in your SQL Server databases!

Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions, or if you'd like assistance with more complex JSON queries!