`json.Unmarshal vs. json.NewDecoder.Decode: Which JSON Decoding Method Should You Choose?`

Decoding JSON: json.Unmarshal vs json.NewDecoder.Decode

In developing an HTTP client that requires JSON encoding and decoding, two primary methods present themselves: json.Unmarshal and json.NewDecoder.Decode. Understanding the differences between these approaches is crucial for making an informed decision.

Choosing Between Unmarshal and NewDecoder.Decode

The choice between json.Unmarshal and json.NewDecoder.Decode depends on the nature of your input. json.Decoder buffers the entire JSON value in memory before unmarshalling it into a Go value. This means that using json.Decoder will not significantly improve memory efficiency compared to json.Unmarshal.

Therefore, the following rule of thumb is recommended:

• Use json.Decoder: When your data comes from an io.Reader stream, or when multiple values need to be decoded from a data stream.
• Use json.Unmarshal: When the JSON data is already stored in memory.

Preference for json.Decoder

The preferred method for reading JSON data from an HTTP request is json.Decoder. This is because HTTP requests naturally fit the stream-based nature of json.Decoder.

Avoiding json.Unmarshal

There is no explicit recommendation to avoid using json.Unmarshal. However, for the specific case of HTTP request handling, json.Decoder remains the preferable choice due to its stream-based approach.

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