to_json(options = {}) — ActiveRecord::Serialization

to_json(options = {})

Returns a JSON string representing the model. Some configuration is available through options.

Without any options, the returned JSON string will include all the model’s attributes. For example:

konata = User.find(1)
konata.to_json
# => {"id": 1, "name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16,
      "created_at": "2006/08/01", "awesome": true}

The :only and :except options can be used to limit the attributes included, and work similar to the attributes method. For example:

konata.to_json(:only => [ :id, :name ])
# => {"id": 1, "name": "Konata Izumi"}

konata.to_json(:except => [ :id, :created_at, :age ])
# => {"name": "Konata Izumi", "awesome": true}

To include any methods on the model, use :methods.

konata.to_json(:methods => :permalink)
# => {"id": 1, "name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16,
      "created_at": "2006/08/01", "awesome": true,
      "permalink": "1-konata-izumi"}

To include associations, use :include.

konata.to_json(:include => :posts)
# => {"id": 1, "name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16,
      "created_at": "2006/08/01", "awesome": true,
      "posts": [{"id": 1, "author_id": 1, "title": "Welcome to the weblog"},
                {"id": 2, author_id: 1, "title": "So I was thinking"}]}

2nd level and higher order associations work as well:

konata.to_json(:include => { :posts => {
                               :include => { :comments => {
                                             :only => :body } },
                               :only => :title } })
# => {"id": 1, "name": "Konata Izumi", "age": 16,
      "created_at": "2006/08/01", "awesome": true,
      "posts": [{"comments": [{"body": "1st post!"}, {"body": "Second!"}],
                 "title": "Welcome to the weblog"},
                {"comments": [{"body": "Don't think too hard"}],
                 "title": "So I was thinking"}]}

Parameters

options opt = {}

Source

# File activerecord/lib/active_record/serializers/json_serializer.rb, line 55
    def to_json(options = {})
      if include_root_in_json
        "{#{self.class.json_class_name}: #{JsonSerializer.new(self, options).to_s}}"
      else
        JsonSerializer.new(self, options).to_s
      end
    end

Defined in activerecord/lib/active_record/serializers/json_serializer.rb line 55 · View on GitHub · Improve this page · Find usages on GitHub

Defined in ActiveRecord::Serialization

Signature

Parameters