---
title: "JSON functions"
sidebarTitle: "JSON Functions"
description: "json_get and its typed variants, json_extract, and the rest of Lance's JSON accessor functions."
icon: brackets-curly
keywords: ["json_get", "json_extract", "json", "sql", "scalar function"]
availability:
  embedded: unavailable
  enterprise: available
---

| Function | Returns |
| --- | --- |
| `json_get(col, key)` | the value at `key`, still JSON |
| `json_get_string(col, key)` | `Utf8` |
| `json_get_int(col, key)` | `Int64` |
| `json_get_float(col, key)` | `Float64` |
| `json_get_bool(col, key)` | `Boolean` |
| `json_extract(col, path)` | `Utf8`: the value as JSON text, by path |
| `json_extract_with_type(col, path)` | a struct of the value as JSON and a type tag, by path |
| `json_exists(col, path)` | `Boolean` |
| `json_array_contains(col, value)` | `Boolean` |
| `json_array_length(col)` | length |

`json_get` returns JSON, so a typed accessor can read a field inside it:

<CodeGroup>
```sql SQL icon="database"
SELECT * FROM events
WHERE json_get_string(json_get(data, 'user'), 'name') = 'Alice'
```
</CodeGroup>

That works one level down. A `json_get` nested inside another `json_get` is
refused, so reach a deeper value with `json_extract` and a JSONPath instead. It
returns JSON text, so a string compares with its quotes:

<CodeGroup>
```sql SQL icon="database"
SELECT * FROM events
WHERE json_extract(data, '$.user.profile.name') = '"Alice"'
```
</CodeGroup>

**`json_get`, its typed variants, and `json_extract` are index-accelerated** by a
JSON scalar index on the column. The rest evaluate per row.

## What to read next {#next}

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="JSON data type" icon="brackets-curly" href="/sql/data-types#json">
    How a JSON column is stored, and reading it as a typed value.
  </Card>
  <Card title="CREATE INDEX" icon="bolt" href="/sql/ddl/index">
    Build the scalar index that accelerates `json_get` and `json_extract`.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>