Are decimals without leading zeros valid JSON?

Question

Given the JSON document

{\"percentageAmount\": .01}

Running it by JSONLint.com results in the error:

Parse error on line 2:         


        

Answer 1

Nope.

According to the railroad diagram for numbers at JSON.org, numbers with fractional values must have digits before the decimal point:

Answer 2

Are decimals without leading zeros valid JSON?

From the specification:

  number = [ minus ] int [ frac ] [ exp ]

  decimal-point = %x2E       ; .

  digit1-9 = %x31-39         ; 1-9

  e = %x65 / %x45            ; e E

  exp = e [ minus / plus ] 1*DIGIT

  frac = decimal-point 1*DIGIT

  int = zero / ( digit1-9 *DIGIT )

  minus = %x2D               ; -

  plus = %x2B                ; +

  zero = %x30                ; 0

The only part of a number that is mandatory is int which is defined as zero or 1-9 followed by any number of digits.

So JSON Lint is correct.

Why is this against JSON spec?

As far as I know, the author's reasons for defining it that way are not documented anywhere.