Java

What are the differences between various JSON objects in Java

Published Time : 2025-11-28

In Java, JSON Object is a class used to represent JSON objects, but there are some differences between the JSON Object implementations provided by different libraries. Here are the main differences between several common JSON libraries and their JSONObject classes:

1. JSON Object of FastJSON

Features:

A high-performance JSON library developed by Alibaba.

Supports serialization and deserialization of multiple data types, including complex data structures.

Provides rich APIs such as toJSONString(), parseObject (), etc.

Built in support for circular references, which can be configured to avoid infinite recursion.

Support custom serializers and deserializers.

Good performance, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

Advantages:

Easy to use, with a concise API.

Superior performance, suitable for high concurrency scenarios.

Supports complex JSON structures and data types.

Disadvantages:

Security issues: FastJSON has been uncovered for multiple security issues, and it is recommended to use it with caution, especially when dealing with untrusted input.

There are relatively few documents, and community support is not as active as Jackson's.

2. Jackson's Object Node (or JsonNode)

Features:

Jackson is currently one of the most popular JSON processing libraries, developed by FasterXML.

ObjectiNode is a class used in Jackson to represent JSON objects, inherited from JsonNode.

Provides rich configuration options such as date format, enumeration types, custom serializers, etc.

Supports streaming APIs, suitable for handling large files or performance sensitive applications.

Thread safe, suitable for multi-threaded environments.

The community is active, the documentation is rich, and problems are easy to solve.

Advantages:

Easy to use, with intuitive API.

Supports generics for easy mapping with Java objects.

Lightweight, with few dependencies, suitable for small projects.

Disadvantages:

The functionality is relatively limited and does not support complex JSON operations.

The performance is not as good as Jackson and FastJSON, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

Lack of support for streaming APIs, not suitable for handling large files.

4. JSONObject for org.json

Features:

This is the default JSON library for the Android platform and is also widely used in other Java projects.

Provides the JSONObject class to represent JSON objects and supports basic JSON operations.

The API is simple and easy to use.

Suitable for small projects or scenarios that require fast implementation of JSON parsing.

Advantages:

Easy to use, with intuitive API.

Less dependence, suitable for small projects.

The Android platform supports it by default without the need for additional dependencies.

Disadvantages:

Limited functionality, does not support complex JSON operations.

The performance is not as good as Jackson and FastJSON, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

Does not support generics, unable to directly convert JSON strings to Java objects.

There are many exceptions thrown and frequent handling of JSONException is required.

Features/LibraryFastJSON JacksonGsonorg.json
performancehighhighmoderatelow
functionrichricheasyeasy
safetyPoor (to be noted)highmoderatemoderate
usabilityeasycomplexmoderateeasy
community supportaveragevery activeaverageaverage
Applicable scenariosHigh concurrency and large data volumeComplex object graph, high-performance requirementsSmall-scale projects, rapid developmentSmall-scale projects, Android development

6. Summary

The choice of which JSONObject to implement depends on your specific needs and project characteristics:

If you need high performance and rich features, and the project has high security requirements, we recommend using Jackson. It not only has superior performance, but also provides a large number of configuration options and expansion mechanisms, suitable for large projects and complex scenarios.

If you pursue simplicity and ease of use, and the project scale is small, you can choose Gson or org.json. Their API is very intuitive and suitable for rapid development and small projects.

If you work in the Alibaba ecosystem or are already using FastJSON, you can choose FastJSON. But attention should be paid to its security issues, especially when dealing with untrusted inputs.

If you are developing on Android, org.json is the default choice because it is already included in the Android SDK and there is no need to introduce additional dependencies.

I hope this article can help you better understand the differences between different implementations of JSONObject and make appropriate choices based on your needs.