Newtonsoft Json Dll «Trusted »»
Install-Package Newtonsoft.Json The DLL itself will land in your project's packages folder or be referenced via the .NET runtime's shared framework (if using the Microsoft.NET.Sdk ). Newtonsoft.Json is the COBOL of JSON serialization—not because it's old and crusty, but because it’s everywhere , it works , and rewriting what it powers would be a colossal waste of time. Its API is the mental model for JSON in .NET that an entire generation of developers grew up on.
NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore, ContractResolver = new DefaultContractResolver NamingStrategy = new SnakeCaseNamingStrategy() , Formatting = Formatting.Indented ; string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(myObject, settings); Need to serialize a DateTime as a Unix timestamp? Map an enum to a string instead of an int? Handle a polymorphic type hierarchy where the base class doesn’t know its children? JsonConverter is your answer.
public override void WriteJson(JsonWriter writer, DateTime value, JsonSerializer serializer) => writer.WriteValue((value - new DateTime(1970, 1, 1)).TotalSeconds); public override DateTime ReadJson(JsonReader reader, Type objectType, DateTime existingValue, bool hasExistingValue, JsonSerializer serializer) => new DateTime(1970, 1, 1).AddSeconds(Convert.ToDouble(reader.Value)); You don't always have a strongly-typed class. Sometimes you need to parse, query, or modify JSON on the fly. Newtonsoft’s JObject lets you treat JSON like an XML DOM. newtonsoft json dll
So pour one out for the DLL that refused to die. And then maybe add a reference to it, because your appsettings.json file still needs parsing. Have a Newtonsoft war story? A custom converter that saved your bacon? Share it in the comments below.
string json = @" 'store': 'book': [ 'title': 'The Hobbit' ] "; JObject obj = JObject.Parse(json); string title = obj["store"]["book"][0]["title"].ToString(); obj["store"]["book"][0]["price"] = 12.99; // Modify in place One of the most painful serialization problems is preserving derived types. Newtonsoft solves this with TypeNameHandling . By adding a "$type" property to the JSON, it can deserialize an interface or abstract class back into the correct concrete type. Install-Package Newtonsoft
dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json Or via Package Manager Console:
In the sprawling universe of .NET development, few third-party libraries have achieved the ubiquity and lasting influence of Newtonsoft.Json (also known as Json.NET). For over a decade, it has been the default, instinctive choice for handling JSON—whether you were building a tiny console app, a massive enterprise web API, or a cross-platform mobile backend with Xamarin. NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling
Even with Microsoft's own System.Text.Json now baked into the platform, Newtonsoft.Json remains deeply embedded in countless production systems, legacy projects, and even modern greenfield development. Why? Because it’s battle-hardened, absurdly flexible, and packed with features that feel like magic.