---
title: "json_decode | Grafana Agent documentation"
description: "Learn about json_decode"
---

# json\_decode

The `json_decode` function decodes a string representing JSON into a River value. `json_decode` fails if the string argument provided cannot be parsed as JSON.

A common use case of `json_decode` is to decode the output of a [`local.file`](../../components/local.file/) component to a River value.

> Remember to escape double quotes when passing JSON string literals to `json_decode`.
> 
> For example, the JSON value `{"key": "value"}` is properly represented by the string `"{\"key\": \"value\"}"`.

## Examples

![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```none
> json_decode("15")
15

> json_decode("[1, 2, 3]")
[1, 2, 3]

> json_decode("null")
null

> json_decode("{\"key\": \"value\"}")
{
  key = "value",
}

> json_decode(local.file.some_file.content)
"Hello, world!"
```