A PHP implementation for finding unordered diff between two JSON documents.

• To simplify changes review between two JSON files you can use a standard diff tool on rearranged pretty-printed JSON.
• To detect breaking changes by analyzing removals and changes from original JSON.
• To keep original order of object sets (for example swagger.json parameters list).
• To make and apply JSON Patches, specified in RFC 6902 from the IETF.
• To retrieve and modify data by JSON Pointer.
• To recursively replace by JSON value.

git clone https://github.com/swaggest/json-diff.git

Install PHP Composer

composer require swaggest/json-diff

Create JsonDiff object from two values (original and new).

$r = new JsonDiff(json_decode($originalJson), json_decode($newJson));

On construction JsonDiff will build rearranged value of new recursively keeping original keys order where possible. Keys that are missing in original will be appended to the end of rearranged value in same order they had in new value.

If two values are arrays of objects, JsonDiff will try to find a common unique field in those objects and use it as criteria for rearranging. You can enable this behaviour with JsonDiff::REARRANGE_ARRAYS option:

$r = new JsonDiff(
    json_decode($originalJson), 
    json_decode($newJson),
    JsonDiff::REARRANGE_ARRAYS
);

On created object you have several handy methods.

Returns JsonPatch of difference

Returns new value, rearranged with original order.

Returns removals as partial value of original.

Returns list of JSON paths that were removed from original.

Returns number of removals.

Returns additions as partial value of new.

Returns list of JSON paths that were added to new.

Returns number of additions.

Returns modifications as partial value of original.

Returns modifications as partial value of new.

Returns list of JSON paths that were modified from original to new.

Returns number of modifications.

Creates JsonPatch instance from JSON-decoded data.

Creates patch data from JsonPatch object.

Adds operation to JsonPatch.

Applies patch to JSON-decoded data.

Escapes path segment.

Creates array of unescaped segments from JSON Pointer string.

Creates JSON Pointer string from array of unescaped segments.

Adds value to data at path specified by segments.

Gets value from data at path specified by segments.

Gets value from data at path specified JSON Pointer string.

Removes value from data at path specified by segments.

Recursively replaces all nodes equal to search value with replace value.

$originalJson = <<<'JSON'
{
    "key1": [4, 1, 2, 3],
    "key2": 2,
    "key3": {
        "sub0": 0,
        "sub1": "a",
        "sub2": "b"
    },
    "key4": [
        {"a":1, "b":true, "subs": [{"s":1}, {"s":2}, {"s":3}]}, {"a":2, "b":false}, {"a":3}
    ]
}
JSON;

$newJson = <<<'JSON'
{
    "key5": "wat",
    "key1": [5, 1, 2, 3],
    "key4": [
        {"c":false, "a":2}, {"a":1, "b":true, "subs": [{"s":3, "add": true}, {"s":2}, {"s":1}]}, {"c":1, "a":3}
    ],
    "key3": {
        "sub3": 0,
        "sub2": false,
        "sub1": "c"
    }
}
JSON;

$patchJson = <<<'JSON'
[
    {"value":4,"op":"test","path":"/key1/0"},
    {"value":5,"op":"replace","path":"/key1/0"},
    
    {"op":"remove","path":"/key2"},
    
    {"op":"remove","path":"/key3/sub0"},
    
    {"value":"a","op":"test","path":"/key3/sub1"},
    {"value":"c","op":"replace","path":"/key3/sub1"},
    
    {"value":"b","op":"test","path":"/key3/sub2"},
    {"value":false,"op":"replace","path":"/key3/sub2"},
    
    {"value":0,"op":"add","path":"/key3/sub3"},

    {"value":true,"op":"add","path":"/key4/0/subs/2/add"},
    
    {"op":"remove","path":"/key4/1/b"},
    
    {"value":false,"op":"add","path":"/key4/1/c"},
    
    {"value":1,"op":"add","path":"/key4/2/c"},
    
    {"value":"wat","op":"add","path":"/key5"}
]
JSON;

$diff = new JsonDiff(json_decode($originalJson), json_decode($newJson), JsonDiff::REARRANGE_ARRAYS);
$this->assertEquals(json_decode($patchJson), $diff->getPatch()->jsonSerialize());

$original = json_decode($originalJson);
$patch = JsonPatch::import(json_decode($patchJson));
$patch->apply($original);
$this->assertEquals($diff->getRearranged(), $original);

Moved to swaggest/json-cli