JSON PHP: Is this the correct way? - php

Question

I just wanted some input about my use of JSON.
<?php
header('Content-Type: text/plain');
//results
$results = array();
for($i=0;$i<20;$i++)
{
$result = array();
$result['name'] = 'Test Season '.ceil(($i+1)/13).' Episode '.(($i%13)+1);
//$result['torrent'] = 'https://www.example.com/?id='.$i.'&key='.uniqid();
$result['torrents'] = array();
$c = mt_rand(1,4);
for($j=0;$j<$c;$j++)
{
$torrent = array();
$torrent['url'] = 'https://www.example.com/?id='.uniqid().'&key='.md5(uniqid());
$torrent['codec'] = $j%2 == 0 ? 'xvid' : 'h264';
$torrent['resolution'] = '720p';
$result['torrents'][] = $torrent;
}
$results[] = $result; //push
}
echo json_encode($results);
?>
This is just some test code, not an actual implementation. Am I using JSON correctly and too the fullest? Or is some better method of doing this?
I have legal torrents that I'd like to do some JSON with.
Torrents are grouped by name which contain multiple torrents (actual links to data). And other information such as codec etc.
This is my first time actually outputting JSON, would XML be better?
Are there any guides on this topic (hopefully not entire books)?
Thanks.

Answer 1

What you doing is right. I like to use the StdClass to make objects rather than key value arrays, just cause it looks sexier! E.g.
$torrent = new StdClass();
$torrent->url = 'https://www.example.com/?id='.uniqid().'&key='.md5(uniqid());
$torrent->codec = $j%2 == 0 ? 'xvid' : 'h264';
$torrent->resolution = '720p';
$result['torrents'][] = $torrent;
As you say you don't need to read a whole book on the matter, I would have a look here http://php.net/manual/en/book.json.php to get to grips with the basics of JSON.
In terms of JSON vs XML, I find it far easier to represent data as JSON as it is easier to fetch the specific data you want much in the same way you can access the info in a stdClass object.
[EDIT]
And as Stefan Gehrig says make sure you define your content type as "application/json".

Answer 2

Absolutely fine. You could only change the MIME type to be RFC 4627 compliant though: application/json.