JsonElement (Gson 2.3 API)
Date: 2014-08-11

com.google.gson

## Class JsonElement

- java.lang.Object
- - com.google.gson.JsonElement

- Direct Known Subclasses:
    JsonArray, JsonNull, JsonObject, JsonPrimitive

      public abstract class JsonElement
      extends Object

  A class representing an element of Json. It could either be a `JsonObject`, a `JsonArray`, a `JsonPrimitive` or a `JsonNull`.
  Author:
    Inderjeet Singh, Joel Leitch

- - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `JsonElement()`

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `BigDecimal` | `getAsBigDecimal()` convenience method to get this element as a `BigDecimal`.
    `BigInteger` | `getAsBigInteger()` convenience method to get this element as a `BigInteger`.
    `boolean` | `getAsBoolean()` convenience method to get this element as a boolean value.
    `byte` | `getAsByte()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive byte value.
    `char` | `getAsCharacter()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive character value.
    `double` | `getAsDouble()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive double value.
    `float` | `getAsFloat()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive float value.
    `int` | `getAsInt()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive integer value.
    `JsonArray` | `getAsJsonArray()` convenience method to get this element as a `JsonArray`.
    `JsonNull` | `getAsJsonNull()` convenience method to get this element as a `JsonNull`.
    `JsonObject` | `getAsJsonObject()` convenience method to get this element as a `JsonObject`.
    `JsonPrimitive` | `getAsJsonPrimitive()` convenience method to get this element as a `JsonPrimitive`.
    `long` | `getAsLong()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive long value.
    `Number` | `getAsNumber()` convenience method to get this element as a `Number`.
    `short` | `getAsShort()` convenience method to get this element as a primitive short value.
    `String` | `getAsString()` convenience method to get this element as a string value.
    `boolean` | `isJsonArray()` provides check for verifying if this element is an array or not.
    `boolean` | `isJsonNull()` provides check for verifying if this element represents a null value or not.
    `boolean` | `isJsonObject()` provides check for verifying if this element is a Json object or not.
    `boolean` | `isJsonPrimitive()` provides check for verifying if this element is a primitive or not.
    `String` | `toString()` Returns a String representation of this element.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### JsonElement

          public JsonElement()

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### isJsonArray

          public boolean isJsonArray()

      provides check for verifying if this element is an array or not.
      Returns:
        true if this element is of type `JsonArray`, false otherwise.

    - #### isJsonObject

          public boolean isJsonObject()

      provides check for verifying if this element is a Json object or not.
      Returns:
        true if this element is of type `JsonObject`, false otherwise.

    - #### isJsonPrimitive

          public boolean isJsonPrimitive()

      provides check for verifying if this element is a primitive or not.
      Returns:
        true if this element is of type `JsonPrimitive`, false otherwise.

    - #### isJsonNull

          public boolean isJsonNull()

      provides check for verifying if this element represents a null value or not.
      Returns:
        true if this element is of type `JsonNull`, false otherwise.
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### getAsJsonObject

          public JsonObject getAsJsonObject()

      convenience method to get this element as a `JsonObject`. If the element is of some other type, a `IllegalStateException` will result. Hence it is best to use this method after ensuring that this element is of the desired type by calling `isJsonObject()` first.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `JsonObject`.
      Throws:
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of another type.

    - #### getAsJsonArray

          public JsonArray getAsJsonArray()

      convenience method to get this element as a `JsonArray`. If the element is of some other type, a `IllegalStateException` will result. Hence it is best to use this method after ensuring that this element is of the desired type by calling `isJsonArray()` first.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `JsonArray`.
      Throws:
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of another type.

    - #### getAsJsonPrimitive

          public JsonPrimitive getAsJsonPrimitive()

      convenience method to get this element as a `JsonPrimitive`. If the element is of some other type, a `IllegalStateException` will result. Hence it is best to use this method after ensuring that this element is of the desired type by calling `isJsonPrimitive()` first.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `JsonPrimitive`.
      Throws:
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of another type.

    - #### getAsJsonNull

          public JsonNull getAsJsonNull()

      convenience method to get this element as a `JsonNull`. If the element is of some other type, a `IllegalStateException` will result. Hence it is best to use this method after ensuring that this element is of the desired type by calling `isJsonNull()` first.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `JsonNull`.
      Throws:
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of another type.
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### getAsBoolean

          public boolean getAsBoolean()

      convenience method to get this element as a boolean value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive boolean value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid boolean value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsNumber

          public Number getAsNumber()

      convenience method to get this element as a `Number`.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `Number`.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid number.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsString

          public String getAsString()

      convenience method to get this element as a string value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a string value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid string value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsDouble

          public double getAsDouble()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive double value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive double value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid double value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsFloat

          public float getAsFloat()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive float value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive float value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid float value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsLong

          public long getAsLong()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive long value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive long value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid long value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsInt

          public int getAsInt()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive integer value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive integer value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid integer value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### getAsByte

          public byte getAsByte()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive byte value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive byte value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid byte value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.
      Since:
        1.3

    - #### getAsCharacter

          public char getAsCharacter()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive character value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive char value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid char value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.
      Since:
        1.3

    - #### getAsBigDecimal

          public BigDecimal getAsBigDecimal()

      convenience method to get this element as a `BigDecimal`.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `BigDecimal`.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive`. * @throws NumberFormatException if the element is not a valid `BigDecimal`.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### getAsBigInteger

          public BigInteger getAsBigInteger()

      convenience method to get this element as a `BigInteger`.
      Returns:
        get this element as a `BigInteger`.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive`.
        `NumberFormatException` - if the element is not a valid `BigInteger`.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.
      Since:
        1.2

    - #### getAsShort

          public short getAsShort()

      convenience method to get this element as a primitive short value.
      Returns:
        get this element as a primitive short value.
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if the element is of not a `JsonPrimitive` and is not a valid short value.
        `IllegalStateException` - if the element is of the type `JsonArray` but contains more than a single element.

    - #### toString

          public String toString()

      Returns a String representation of this element.
      Overrides:
        `toString` in class `Object`

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