How Can I Encode Private Class Members into JSON in PHP?

Encoding Private Class Members with JSON in PHP

In PHP, encoding class members into JSON can be tricky when they are private. Consider the scenario where you wish to encode an object's data, which includes private members.

Initially, the attempt may be made to overcome this obstacle by using a custom encodeJSON function to manually extract and encode the private variables:

public function encodeJSON() 
{ 
    foreach ($this as $key => $value) 
    { 
        $json->key = $value; 
    } 
    return json_encode($json); 
}

However, this approach falters when the object contains nested objects within its members. To address this, a more comprehensive solution is required.

JsonSerializable Solution

The elegant approach to serializing an object with private properties is through the JsonSerializable interface. By implementing this interface, you can define a custom JsonSerialize method to control the data returned for serialization:

class Item implements \JsonSerializable
{
    private $var;
    private $var1;
    private $var2;

    public function __construct()
    {
        // ...
    }

    public function jsonSerialize()
    {
        $vars = get_object_vars($this);

        return $vars;
    }
}

With this implementation, json_encode can now correctly serialize your object along with its private and public data.

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