Sometimes one field stores another JSON document as a string.
Section: Encoding pitfalls
JSON string containing JSON
json
json
{
"payload": "{\"event\":\"signup\",\"ok\":true}"
}Explanation
This is valid, but consumers must decode the outer JSON and then parse the inner string separately.
Learn the surrounding workflow
Compare similar commands or jump into common fixes when this command is part of a bigger troubleshooting path.
Related commands
Same sheet · prioritizing Encoding pitfalls
Prefer UTF-8 encoded JSON
UTF-8 is the de facto standard for JSON payloads.
Decode embedded JSON with jq
Parse a JSON string field into structured data.
Encode structured data as a JSON string
Turn a value into a JSON-encoded string.
Escape control characters
Use `\n`, `\r`, and `\t` for control characters.