Java JsonPath: Insert object into another object

Question

I am using the JayWay JsonPath to manipulate JSON objects.

I want to insert a JSON object into a JSON array:

### before
{
  "students": []
}

### after
{
  "students": [{"id": 1, "name": "Bob"}]
}

Somehow I cannot accomplish this in JsonPath. If I add the object as a string, it is not recognized as a JSON object:

var context = JsonPath.parse("{\"students\":  []}");
context.add("students", "{\"id\":  1, \"name\":  \"Bob\"}");

System.out.println(context.jsonString());
// > {"students":["{\"id\":  1, \"lastName\":  \"Bob\"}"]}

If I try to parse the object, JsonPath adds an empty object:

var context = JsonPath.parse("{\"students\":  []}");
context.add("students", JsonPath.parse("{\"id\":  1, \"name\":  \"Bob\"}"));

System.out.println(context.jsonString());
// > {"students":[{}]}

How can I insert the JSON object into the array?

Answer 1

Use .json() method:

    var context = JsonPath.parse("{\"students\":  []}");
    Object entryToAdd = JsonPath.parse("{\"id\":  1, \"name\":  \"Bob\"}").json();
    String updatedJson = context.add("students", entryToAdd).jsonString();
    System.out.println(updatedJson);

prints

{"students":[{"id":1,"name":"Bob"}]}