How data types are mapped from the JSON text string to the PHP variable when calling json_decode() function?

Data types are mapped from the JSON text string to the PHP variable based on the following table, when calling json_decode() function:

JSON Data Type   >   PHP Data Type
--------------   >   -------------
null             >   null
Boolean          >   Boolean
Number           >   Int or Float
String           >   String
Array            >   Array
Object           >   Object(stdClass) or Array

Here is a PHP example that shows you how json_decode() maps JSON data types to PHP data types:

<?php
# json_decode_datatype.php
# Copyright (c) FYIcenter.com 

   $json = 'null';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = 'true';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = '20.20';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = '2020';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = '"2020"';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = '["a","b","c"]';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));

   $json = '{"a":1,"b":2,"c":3}';
   print("\nInput: ".$json."\n");
   var_dump(json_decode($json));
?>

If you run the above PHP code through the PHP engine, you get the following output:

>\fyicenter\php\php.exe json_decode_datatype.php

Input: null
NULL

Input: true
bool(true)

Input: 20.20
float(20.2)

Input: 2020
int(2020)

Input: "2020"
string(4) "2020"

Input: ["a","b","c"]
array(3) {
  [0]=>
  string(1) "a"
  [1]=>
  string(1) "b"
  [2]=>
  string(1) "c"
}

Input: {"a":1,"b":2,"c":3}
object(stdClass)#1 (3) {
  ["a"]=>
  int(1)
  ["b"]=>
  int(2)
  ["c"]=>
  int(3)
}

⇒ json_decode() - JSON Array to PHP Array

⇐ json_decode() Function in PHP

⇑ Using JSON in PHP

⇑⇑ JSON Tutorials