How to Flatten and Unflatten Nested JSON

What flattening does

Flattening turns nested paths into keys, making deeply nested values easier to compare, export or store in systems that expect flat records.

{"user":{"name":"Asha"}}
→
{"user.name":"Asha"}

Define array behavior

Arrays may be represented with numeric path segments or bracket notation. The chosen convention must be consistent for unflattening to reconstruct the intended structure.

Prevent path collisions

A literal key containing a dot can collide with a nested path. Empty objects, sparse arrays and numeric-looking object keys also require explicit rules.

Verify round trips

Flatten, unflatten and compare the result with the original. A successful round trip is the best check that your path convention preserves the required structure.