How can I convert JSON to a HashMap using Gson?

Question

I\'m requesting data from a server which returns data in the JSON format. Casting a HashMap into JSON when making the request wasn\'t hard at all but the other way seems to

Answer 1

I had the exact same question and ended up here. I had a different approach that seems much simpler (maybe newer versions of gson?).

    Gson gson = new Gson();
    Map jsonObject = (Map) gson.fromJson(data, Object.class);

with the following json

{
  "map-00": {
    "array-00": [
      "entry-00",
      "entry-01"
     ],
     "value": "entry-02"
   }
}

The following

    Map map00 = (Map) jsonObject.get("map-00");
    List array00 = (List) map00.get("array-00");
    String value = (String) map00.get("value");
    for (int i = 0; i < array00.size(); i++) {
        System.out.println("map-00.array-00[" + i + "]= " + array00.get(i));
    }
    System.out.println("map-00.value = " + value);

outputs

map-00.array-00[0]= entry-00
map-00.array-00[1]= entry-01
map-00.value = entry-02

You could dynamically check using instanceof when navigating your jsonObject. Something like

Map json = gson.fromJson(data, Object.class);
if(json.get("field") instanceof Map) {
  Map field = (Map)json.get("field");
} else if (json.get("field") instanceof List) {
  List field = (List)json.get("field");
} ...

It works for me, so it must work for you ;-)