Convert array to JSON in Bash shell

array2json.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash


ql_join_arry_to_json(){
      local arr=( "$@" );
      local len=${#arr[@]}

      if [[ ${len} -eq 0 ]]; then
        >&2 echo "Error: Length of input array needs to be at least 2.";
         return 1;
      fi

      if [[ $((len%2)) -eq 1 ]]; then
         >&2 echo "Error: Length of input array needs to be even (key/value pairs).";
         return 1;
      fi

      local data="";
      local foo=0;
      for i in "${arr[@]}"; do
          local char=","
          if [ $((++foo%2)) -eq 0 ]; then
               char=":";
          fi

          local first="${i:0:1}";  # read first charc

          local app="\"$i\""

          if [[ "$first" == "^" ]]; then
            app="${i:1}"  # remove first char
          fi

          data="$data$char$app";

      done

      data="${data:1}";  # remove first char
      echo "{$data}";    # add braces around the string
}
  
  
#### now use it like so:

$ ql_join_arry_to_json a 3 c true
#  =>  {"a":"3","c":"true"}

# but wait, what about numbers and booleans?

ql_join_arry_to_json a ^3 c ^true
#  =>  {"a":3,"c":true}

# that should work, let me know if there are some broken edge cases...lulz







  
  

or just use here-doc, which is probably easier:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43373176/store-json-directly-in-bash-script-with-variables