How to handle null values as undefined in Jiffy?

Use the {null_term, undefined} option in jiffy:decode/2 to replace JSON null with the atom undefined, aligning with Erlang conventions for missing data.

Jiffy vs jsone: which is faster for JSON parsing?

Jiffy is generally faster due to its NIF implementation, but jsone is a pure Erlang alternative that avoids NIF risks, so the choice depends on performance versus safety trade-offs.

How to encode Erlang maps to JSON with Jiffy?

Pass maps directly to jiffy:encode/1; for decoding, use the return_maps option in jiffy:decode/2 to convert JSON objects to maps on supported VMs.

Does Jiffy support streaming JSON parsing?

No, Jiffy decodes entire JSON documents at once, which can be memory-intensive for large files, unlike streaming parsers that process data incrementally.

What does the copy_strings option do in Jiffy?

It allocates new binaries for strings during decoding, preventing the decode result from keeping the original JSON data alive, which helps in memory management for long-running processes.

Can Jiffy handle JSON with duplicate keys?

Yes, enable the dedupe_keys option in decode to ensure only the last value is retained, mirroring the behavior of most other JSON parsers.

jiffy — Erlang High-Performance JSON Parser

What is jiffy?

Jiffy is a JSON parser and encoder for Erlang implemented as a Natively Implemented Function (NIF). It solves the need for high-performance JSON handling in Erlang applications by providing a fast, efficient library that converts between JSON and Erlang data types without nesting limits or constraints on the parsed JSON.

Target Audience

Erlang developers who need to parse or generate JSON in performance-sensitive applications, such as web services, APIs, or data processing pipelines.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Jiffy for its speed (as a NIF), simplicity, and robust handling of JSON-to-Erlang mapping with configurable options like map support, null term replacement, and memory control.

JSON NIFs for Erlang

Use Cases

Best For

High-throughput JSON parsing in Erlang web servers
Encoding Erlang terms to JSON for API responses
Handling UTF-8 JSON data in binaries exclusively
Applications needing configurable null value representation
Scenarios requiring map data type support for JSON objects
Parsing JSON without depth limitations

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring JSON data in non-UTF-8 encodings
Applications with hard real-time constraints where NIF crashes could destabilize the Erlang VM
Teams preferring pure Erlang solutions to avoid NIF-related risks and scheduler blocking
Environments running older Erlang VMs (pre-17.0) without maps support

Pros & Cons

Pros

High Performance NIF

Implemented as a hand-crafted state machine NIF, it maximizes speed and efficiency for JSON parsing and encoding, making it ideal for performance-sensitive Erlang applications.

Flexible Data Mapping

Supports conversion between JSON and Erlang terms like tuples, lists, binaries, and maps with options such as return_maps and null_term replacement, offering versatile integration.

No Nesting Limits

Imposes no constraints on JSON nesting depth, allowing it to handle deep or complex JSON structures without the limitations of earlier implementations.

Configurable Memory Control

Options like copy_strings and dedupe_keys provide fine-grained control over memory usage and key handling, adapting to different workload needs.

Cons

NIF Stability Risks

As a NIF, bugs in Jiffy can crash the entire Erlang VM, posing a significant stability risk compared to pure Erlang JSON libraries.

UTF-8 Exclusive

Only handles UTF-8 binaries, requiring additional preprocessing for JSON data in other encodings, which can add overhead in heterogeneous environments.

Limited Backward Compatibility

Features like return_maps depend on Erlang VM support from version 17.0 onward, making it less suitable for legacy systems without upgrades.

What is jiffy?

Target Audience

Erlang developers who need to parse or generate JSON in performance-sensitive applications, such as web services, APIs, or data processing pipelines.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Jiffy for its speed (as a NIF), simplicity, and robust handling of JSON-to-Erlang mapping with configurable options like map support, null term replacement, and memory control.

Use Cases

Best For

High-throughput JSON parsing in Erlang web servers
Encoding Erlang terms to JSON for API responses
Handling UTF-8 JSON data in binaries exclusively
Applications needing configurable null value representation
Scenarios requiring map data type support for JSON objects
Parsing JSON without depth limitations

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring JSON data in non-UTF-8 encodings
Applications with hard real-time constraints where NIF crashes could destabilize the Erlang VM
Teams preferring pure Erlang solutions to avoid NIF-related risks and scheduler blocking
Environments running older Erlang VMs (pre-17.0) without maps support

Pros & Cons

Pros

High Performance NIF

Implemented as a hand-crafted state machine NIF, it maximizes speed and efficiency for JSON parsing and encoding, making it ideal for performance-sensitive Erlang applications.

Flexible Data Mapping

Supports conversion between JSON and Erlang terms like tuples, lists, binaries, and maps with options such as return_maps and null_term replacement, offering versatile integration.

No Nesting Limits

Imposes no constraints on JSON nesting depth, allowing it to handle deep or complex JSON structures without the limitations of earlier implementations.

Configurable Memory Control

Options like copy_strings and dedupe_keys provide fine-grained control over memory usage and key handling, adapting to different workload needs.

Cons

NIF Stability Risks

As a NIF, bugs in Jiffy can crash the entire Erlang VM, posing a significant stability risk compared to pure Erlang JSON libraries.

UTF-8 Exclusive

Only handles UTF-8 binaries, requiring additional preprocessing for JSON data in other encodings, which can add overhead in heterogeneous environments.

Limited Backward Compatibility

Features like return_maps depend on Erlang VM support from version 17.0 onward, making it less suitable for legacy systems without upgrades.

jiffy

What is jiffy?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

jiffy

What is jiffy?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?