---
title: OptimizelyJSON for the Android SDK
slug: feature-experimentation/docs/optimizelyjson-android
createdAt: 2026-08-05T20:39:52.000Z
---

Since statically typed languages lack native support for JSON, the Android SDK uses the OptimizelyJSON object to retrieve JSON in a flexible way.

## Version

SDK v3.6 and higher

## Methods

You can access JSON representations with the following methods:

| Method |
| ------ |

```javascript
  <th>
    Parameters
  </th>

  <th>
    Description
  </th>
</tr>
```

\| \`toString\` |

````javascript
  <td>
    none
  </td>

  <td>
    Returns a string representation of the JSON object
  </td>
</tr>

<tr>
  <td>
    `toMap`
  </td>

  <td>
    none
  </td>

  <td>
    Returns a map representation of the JSON object: `(Map<String,Object>)`
  </td>
</tr>

<tr>
  <td>
    `getValue`
  </td>

  <td>
    ```
    String jsonKey, 
    Class<T> clazz
    ```
  </td>

  <td>
    Returns a specified schema object  (`T`) with the key/value pair of the JSON key you pass to this method.  

    If JSON key is null or empty, it populates your schema object with all JSON key/value pairs.  

    You can retrieve information for a nested member of the JSON data structure by using flattened JSON dot notation.\
    For example, if you want to access the key `nestedField` in  `{field1: {nestedField: "blah"}}`, you can call `getValue` with the parameter `"field1.nestedField"`.
  </td>
</tr>
````

The `OptimizelyJSON` object is defined as follows:

```java
public class OptimizelyJSON {
    public String toString();
  
    public Map<String,Object> toMap();
  
    public <T> T getValue(@Nullable String jsonKey, Class<T> clazz) throws JsonParseException
}
```

## Examples

You can use the OptimizelyJSON object, for example to:

- Get a JSON string by calling  the `toString` method, or
- Retrieve a specified schema from the `OptimizelyJSON` object by calling the `getValue` method.

The following  example shows how to use an OptimizelyJSON object to populate a schema object you declare.

```kotlin
//declare a schema object into which you want to unmarshal OptimizelyJson content:
data class SSub(var field: String)

data class SObj(
   var field1: Int,
   var field2: Double,
   var field3: String,
   var field4: SSub
)

try {
   //parse all json key/value pairs into your schema, sObj
   val robj = optlyJSON.getValue(null, SObj::class.java)

   //or, parse the specified key/value pair with an integer value
   val rint = optlyJSON.getValue("field1", Int::class.java)

   //or, parse the specified key/value pair with a string value
   val rstr = optlyJSON.getValue("field4.field", String::class.java)
} catch (e: JsonParseException) {
   e.printStackTrace()
}
```

```java
//declare a schema object into which you want to unmarshal OptimizelyJson content:
class SSub {
   String field;
}

class SObj {
   int field1;
   double field2;
   String field3;
   SSub field4;
}

try {
   //parse all json key/value pairs into your schema, sObj
   SObj robj = optlyJSON.getValue(null, SObj.class);

   //or, parse the specified key/value pair with an integer value
   Integer rint = optlyJSON.getValue("field1", Integer.class);

   //or, parse the specified key/value pair with a string value
   String rstr = optlyJSON.getValue("field4.field", String.class);
} catch (JsonParseException e) {
   e.printStackTrace();
}
```