How Can I Serialize Dictionaries as Parent Object Properties in JSON.NET?

JSON.NET: Serialize dictionary into parent object properties

When serializing with JSON.NET, a common question is how to serialize objects with dictionary properties. By default, JSON.NET does not serialize dictionaries as part of the parent object, choosing to ignore them instead. To solve this problem, we will explore a solution that allows the inclusion of dictionary properties in the JSON representation of the parent object.

Consider a class that contains a string property and a dictionary property:

<code>public class Test
{
    public string X { get; set; }

    public Dictionary<string, string> Y { get; set; }
}</code>

The JSON output format we expect is as follows, with the dictionary attributes ("key1" and "key2") nested directly in the parent object:

<code>{
    "X": "value",
    "key1": "value1",
    "key2": "value2"
}</code>

To achieve this result, we can use JSON.NET 5.0.5 or higher and modify the dictionary attribute as follows:

<code>[JsonExtensionData]
public Dictionary<string, object> Y { get; set; }</code>

By applying the [JsonExtensionData] attribute to a dictionary property, we instruct JSON.NET to serialize the dictionary's keys and values ​​as part of the parent object. Additionally, this mechanism supports deserialization, ensuring that any JSON properties that do not correspond to class members are stored in the extended data dictionary.

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