How to Elegantly Handle JSON Responses with Varying Formats?

Exploring Approaches for Handling JSON Responses with Varying Formats

In scenario where a consumed endpoint returns JSON in diverse formats, it's crucial to find an elegant approach for handling these variations. The dilemma arises due to the endpoint's immutable nature.

A common strategy involves using multiple structs for decoding, attempting to decode into a struct expecting a string and switching to an alternate struct with an array upon encountering an error. While this method achieves the desired functionality, there may be a more refined approach.

Utilizing Type Assertions and Type Switches

A recommended solution is to unmarshal the JSON into an interface{} value. This value can then be examined using type assertions or type switches to determine its actual type.

An example in Go demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach:

<code class="go">type Response struct {
    Message interface{} `json:"message"`
}

func main() {
    inputs := []string{
        `{"message":"Message"}`,
        `{"message":["ERROR_CODE"]}`,
    }

    for _, input := range inputs {
        var r Response
        if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &r); err != nil {
            panic(err)
        }
        switch x := r.Message.(type) {
        case string:
            fmt.Println("Success, message:", x)
        case []interface{}:
            fmt.Println("Error, code:", x)
        default:
            fmt.Println("Something else:", x)
        }
    }
}</code>

The output showcases the successful handling and distinction of the JSON response formats:

Success, message: Message
Error, code: [ERROR_CODE]

By leveraging this approach, you can handle different JSON formats with ease, eliminating the need for multiple structs or error handling.

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