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.

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor Description

JsonElement()

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods Deprecated Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`abstract JsonElement`	`deepCopy()`	Returns a deep copy of this element.
`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()`	Deprecated. This method is misleading, as it does not get this element as a char but rather as a string's first character.
`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
equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

- Constructor Detail
  - JsonElement
```
public JsonElement()
```
- Method Detail
  - deepCopy
```
public abstract JsonElement deepCopy()
```
    Returns a deep copy of this element. Immutable elements like primitives and nulls are not copied.
    
    Since:
    
    2.8.2
  - 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
```
@Deprecated
public char getAsCharacter()
```
    Deprecated.
    This method is misleading, as it does not get this element as a char but rather as a string's first character.
    
    convenience method to get the first character of this element as a string or the first character of this array's first element as a string.
    
    Returns:
    
    the first character of the string.
    
    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.
    
    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

Class JsonElement

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Constructor Detail

JsonElement

Method Detail

deepCopy

isJsonArray

isJsonObject

isJsonPrimitive

isJsonNull

getAsJsonObject

getAsJsonArray

getAsJsonPrimitive

getAsJsonNull

getAsBoolean

getAsNumber

getAsString

getAsDouble

getAsFloat

getAsLong

getAsInt

getAsByte

getAsCharacter

getAsBigDecimal

getAsBigInteger

getAsShort

toString