jQuery posting valid json in request body

Posting Valid JSON in Request Body with jQuery 📥

So you've stumbled upon the question of how to send valid JSON in the request body using jQuery. Don't worry, you're not alone! Many developers have faced similar challenges when trying to send JSON data to a server. In this blog post, we'll address common issues, provide easy solutions, and ultimately help you conquer this problem with a smile on your face. 😄

Understanding the Problem 🤔

Before we dive into the solutions, let's take a moment to understand the problem at hand. By default, jQuery serializes data in the form of a query string when sending requests. However, you want to send actual JSON in the request body. Sounds simple, right?

According to the jQuery Ajax docs, setting the processData option to false should allow you to send JSON in the body. Unfortunately, as you've discovered, it's not working as expected. 😕

The Mysterious Object and Empty Posts 🕵️‍♂️

You've attempted to use an HTTP client to post an object literal like {someKey:'someData'} and it worked perfectly. But when you try the same with jQuery using data: {someKey:'someData'}, it fails. To make matters worse, when you analyze the request in Safari, it says the message payload is [object Object], and in Firefox, the post is blank. 🤷‍♂️

This leaves you wondering how to send REAL JSON data. Here's where we come to the rescue! 🦸‍♀️

Sending Real JSON Data with jQuery 🚀

To send valid JSON in the request body with jQuery, you need to make a few adjustments to your code.

First, set the contentType to 'application/json'. This informs the server that you're sending JSON data.

contentType: 'application/json',

Next, instead of passing a plain object to the data option, stringify it using JSON.stringify().

data: JSON.stringify({
    "command": "on"
}),

This will convert the object into a valid JSON string. 🙌

Lastly, make sure to set the dataType to 'json' so that jQuery knows you're expecting JSON in the response.

dataType: 'json',

The Complete $.ajax Request 📝

Putting it all together, your updated $.ajax request should look like this:

$.ajax({
    contentType: 'application/json',
    data: JSON.stringify({
        "command": "on"
    }),
    dataType: 'json',
    success: function(data) {
        app.log("Device control succeeded");
    },
    error: function() {
        app.log("Device control failed");
    },
    processData: false,
    type: 'POST',
    url: '/devices/{device_id}/control'
});

🎉 Congratulations! You've Conquered Valid JSON Posting! 🎉

With these easy modifications to your code, you can now confidently send valid JSON in the request body using jQuery. 🚀

If you found this blog post helpful, don't hesitate to share it with your fellow developers. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences, feel free to leave a comment below. Let's continue learning and overcoming coding challenges together! 💪

Happy coding! 👨‍💻👩‍💻