JsonPatchDocument should use System.Text.Json in ASP.NET vNext

[xperiandri]

Related to #16968
Will you accept pull-request with this feature?

[xperiandri]

I propose to:

• add IOperation interface
• create new package Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch.Newtonsoft referencing https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/blob/master/src/Features/JsonPatch/src/Operations/Operation.cs as link with conditional compilation namespace
• add package Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch.System.Text referencing https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/blob/master/src/Features/JsonPatch/src/Operations/Operation.cs as link with conditional compilation namespace

[ghost]

We've moved this issue to the Backlog milestone. This means that it is not going to be worked on for the coming release. We will reassess the backlog following the current release and consider this item at that time. To learn more about our issue management process and to have better expectation regarding different types of issues you can read our Triage Process.

[mkArtakMSFT]

Thanks for your willingness to help.
We would prefer to think more about this first and decide on the direction we want to go before asking for help.

[null-d3v]

There have been many issues reported regarding json patch still being tied to Newtonsoft.Json deserialization. The issues are caused by adverse effects of the association, or directly indicating dissatisfaction with it:
#12994
#13938
#14035
#16968
#22216
#22620

System.Text.Json has merits over Newtonsoft.Json purported by Microsoft with indication to fully remove the Json.NET dependency from ASP.NET Core.

Thus, we want to remove the Json.NET dependency from ASP.NET Core 3.0, so that customers can choose which version to use, without fearing they might accidentally break the underlying platform.

Configuration of json patch to only use Newtonsoft.Json processing for patch requests is contrived, requiring building an entire separate service collection with complete MVC to pull an input formatter with appropriate DI.

To indicate the intent of complete System.Text.Json support in ASP.NET Core, not have the support, and then to consistently delay in the face of consistent issues is extremely discouraging:
#12994 (comment)
#14035 (comment)
#14035 (comment)
#16968 (comment)

[erwan-joly]

I wonder if the easiest way to have that feature added wouldn't be to fork the feature project https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/commits/master/src/Features/JsonPatch in another repo
make it works without newtonsoft
then ask dotnet/aspnetcore if they want to replace newtonsoft json patch to that one

[ghost]

This is bit of an annoying oversight. Any news?

[erwan-joly]

https://github.com/gregsdennis/json-everything

[natelaff]

+1, Everything is moving to System.Text.Json... Swagger, Refit, etc... this needs to be addressed.

[sulmar]

Do you have any plans to use JsonPatchDocument with System.Text.Json in upcoming .NET 6 ?
It will be very handy in Minimal API.

[Havunen]

Has anybody found good open source json patch library for system text json?

[erwan-joly]

Has anybody found good open source json patch library for system text json?

#24333 (comment)

[winromulus]

A lot of projects have dropped support for Newtonsoft.Json (especially for annotations) in favor of System.Text.Json
Some projects, like the Kubernetes C# client rely heavily on support for JSON Patch.
Is it possible to re-evaluate the priority on this in light of increased requests for support on this topic? It's been years since it was considered low-priority since few projects had been ported to System.Text.Json at the time.

[Grizzlly]

@pranavkm I think this is worth looking into. It is a bummer that we have to rely on Newtonsoft.

The code in the documentation throws ASP0000 warning. This should be mentioned in the docs imo.

[beachwalker]

Still a issue? Keeps us from switching.

[Grizzlly]

Still a issue? Keeps us from switching.

Yes.

[rqueizan]

Install this package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Formatters.Json for System.Text.Json

[erwan-joly]

Install this package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Formatters.Json for System.Text.Json

This seems to use newtonsoft from Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch

[rqueizan]

Install this package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Formatters.Json for System.Text.Json

This seems to use newtonsoft from Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch

I am not using Newtonsoft.Json!

[erwan-joly]

Install this package Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Formatters.Json for System.Text.Json

This seems to use newtonsoft from Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch

I am not using Newtonsoft.Json!

Indirectly your are https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch/

[pdevito3]

So I was just playing around with what it might look like to convert my controllers to minimal APIs and noticed that we don't currently have MapPatch, but that it's coming in .NET 7.

@davidfowl @captainsafia I saw that you guys had some traffic on that in #36198 and want to raise the flag on this issue in case you're not aware. Thinking many people will reach for a Patchdoc when setting it up and this will block that option for them as far as I can tell -- unless there's a way to set that patch endpoint to use newtonsoft explicitly but even so, that would be somewhat hacky.

[davidfowl]

@pdevito3 Thanks! I'm not sure we'll be able to pull this off for .NET 7 as patch support for System.Text.Json is currently unplanned but this is something we should get ahead of at least in the docs. Maybe we can write a sample converter to make this work in the mean time.

[Havunen]

I started implementing this myself, its based on aspnet version. https://github.com/Havunen/SystemTextJsonPatch

[davidfowl]

@Havunen WONDERFUL! We should point people to this for now. Are there any other implementations that you are aware of?

[erwan-joly]

@Havunen WONDERFUL! We should point people to this for now. Are there any other implementations that you are aware of?

#24333 (comment)

[natilivni]

Any update on this?

[davidfowl]

We are not doing this for .NET 7, the work isn't planned and doesn't fit into the release based on the other work we're already doing.

PS: This item is in the backlog.

[stevendarby]

Could MS please clarify what their commitment to AspNetCore.JsonPatch is, as it's looking pretty shaky to me. Reasons for thinking this:

• STJ was released with .NET Core 3.0 in late 2019 and with no support now or in upcoming 7.0, late 2023 is the earliest it could be supported. 4 years!
• Bugs and requests against it just seem to get backlogged (including two of mine) despite very little activity in that area. I think JsonPatch sharing a backlog with core ASP.NET Core means it'll always be deprioritised unless a conscious push is made.
• Key MS developers are endorsing 3rd party libraries instead 😟

[Havunen]

Bugs and requests against it just seem to get backlogged (including two of mine) despite very little activity in that area. I think JsonPatch sharing a backlog with core ASP.NET Core means it'll always be deprioritised unless a conscious push is made

Can you try out SystemTextJsonPatch? I believe I have fixed both the issues you reported about AspNetCore.JsonPatch.
I know its not the official Microsoft package but personally I just needed a package that works and does not depend on Newtonsoft.

[hexjourney]

This issue doesn't impact a small number of customers...

[carlblanchard]

Why isn't System.Text.Json adopting JsonPatchDocument?
It's a web standard technology, after all, if you want people to adopt System.Text.Json over NewtonSoft you're going to address people's demands not just ignore them and say it's on the backlog.

[payoff]

@davidfowl any plan to release in .NET 8?

[lennieh]

Minimal API in .Net 7 supports patch operations. Has anyone worked out how to use this with JsonPatchDocument??

[sulmar]

You can do it, step by step, this way, for example:

dotnet add package Newtonsoft.Json

app.MapPatch("/", async (HttpContext context) =>
{
    if (context.Request.HasJsonContentType())
    {       
        using var reader = new StreamReader(context.Request.Body);
        var json = await reader.ReadToEndAsync();
        var doc = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<JsonPatchDocument>(json);

        var originalDocument = new Models.Document();  // change to get an entity from database
        doc.ApplyTo(originalDocument);

        return Results.Ok(originalDocument);        
    }
    return Results.BadRequest();
});


public class Document
{
    public string Baz { get; set; } = "qux";
    public string[] Hello { get; set; }
    public string Foo { get; set; } = "bar";
}

With this solution Newtonsoft.Json is used only for single endpoint.

Maybe someone knows a better solution?

[payoff]

Maybe someone knows a better solution?

Probably use:
https://github.com/Havunen/SystemTextJsonPatch

[deleteLater]

For those who prefer to avoid adding the Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.NewtonsoftJson package and an extra input formatter, as mentioned in the documentation, here's an alternative solution:

[HttpPatch]
public async Task<ApiResponse<bool>> PatchAsync([FromBody] JsonElement jsonElement)
{
    // Use Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert to deserialize the JSON string into a JsonPatchDocument
    var patch = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<JsonPatchDocument>(jsonElement.GetRawText());
}

[sulmar]

Thank to @deleteLater we can use in Minimal Api:

app.MapPatch("/", async ([FromBody] JsonElement jsonElement) =>
{
      var json = jsonElement.GetRawText();

      var doc = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<JsonPatchDocument>(json);

      var originalDocument = new JsonPatchDocumentMinimalApi.Models.Document();
      doc.ApplyTo(originalDocument);

      return Results.Ok(originalDocument);
});

[sulmar]

I'm looking for better implementation yet.

I thought about using my own implemention of IModelBinder but in the minimal api seems not to be supported.

In .NET 7 for Custom Binding we can use only TryParse or BindAsync methods:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/minimal-apis/parameter-binding?view=aspnetcore-7.0#custom-binding

It is easy to add for own model but not for JsonPatchDocument.

[tjmcdonough]

@Havunen solution works very well. I have just given the GitHub project a star :) Highly recommend we all use this until Microsoft comes up with a solution

[zinov]

I'm looking for better implementation yet.

I thought about using my own implemention of IModelBinder but in the minimal api seems not to be supported.

In .NET 7 for Custom Binding we can use only TryParse or BindAsync methods: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/minimal-apis/parameter-binding?view=aspnetcore-7.0#custom-binding

It is easy to add for own model but not for JsonPatchDocument.

this is something that should be coming with the framework instead of doing a custom model binder to map all parameters. Microsoft should follow the standard: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6902

[Arkovski]

mkArtakMSFT you're thinking quite a lot, maybe time to do anything? :)

[rohitvipin]

Happy 4 year anniversary for a very important issue :(

[DanielThyselius]

Bugs and requests against it just seem to get backlogged (including two of mine) despite very little activity in that area. I think JsonPatch sharing a backlog with core ASP.NET Core means it'll always be deprioritised unless a conscious push is made

Can you try out SystemTextJsonPatch? I believe I have fixed both the issues you reported about AspNetCore.JsonPatch. I know its not the official Microsoft package but personally I just needed a package that works and does not depend on Newtonsoft.

I've tried this out and it worked out of the box, brilliant work!