How to make Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject immutable?

Question

I can create JObject

var jobject = Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject.Parse(jsonstring);

I want to convert the jobject read only so that no new keys can be added or existing values modified.

What is the scope of jobject? Would C# public variable as writeable inside the class but readonly outside the class be of use to you? — Andrew Morton
– Andrew Morton, Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 18:37
@AndrewMorton I do not control the JObject class. I can write a wrapper around it but it will not be trivial. — Rohit
– Rohit, Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 18:40
You don't need to alter the JObject class, rather, just control the access to that jobject instance. Or are you saying that all instances of JObject must be read-only? — Andrew Morton
– Andrew Morton, Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 18:50
@AndrewMorton not all but I do not understand how to control access without writing a wrapper class. — Rohit
– Rohit, Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 18:53
You can throw an exception in JObject.PropertyChanging and JContainer.ListChanged, but the latter happens after the change, so it's too late. — dbc
– dbc, Commented Oct 28, 2015 at 19:05

Mårten Wikström · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-28 21:22:52Z

3

It can't be done. There is an open issue for implementing it:

https://github.com/JamesNK/Newtonsoft.Json/issues/468

But it is two years old and has drawn very little attention as far as I can tell.

answered Oct 28, 2016 at 21:22

Mårten Wikström

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David Lyall · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-21 18:10:09Z

2

An immutable object is one that can't be changed. If you don't want consumers of your JObject to change it, just give them a copy. (Note: this example uses the abstract superclass JToken of JObject to provide a more general solution.)

private JToken data = JToken.Parse(@"{""Some"":""JSON""}");

public JToken Data()
{
   return data.DeepClone();
}

public JToken Data(string path)
{
   return data.SelectToken(path).DeepClone();
}

The consumer will be able to change their copy, but not the source.

If data is so large that cloning it is prohibitive, use the second method JToken Data(string path) to grab a subset.

answered Dec 21, 2017 at 18:10

David Lyall

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