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Specify the Output Format for Operational Information Requests in a Junos XML Protocol Session

In a Junos XML protocol session, to request information about a routing, switching, or security platform running Junos OS, a client application encloses a Junos XML request tag element in an <rpc> tag element. By setting the optional format attribute in the opening operational request tag, the client application can specify the formatting of the output returned by the Junos XML protocol server. Information can be returned as XML-tagged format, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or formatted ASCII text. The basic syntax is as follows:

XML Format

By default, the Junos XML protocol server returns operational information in XML-tagged format. If the value of the format attribute is set to "xml", or if the format attribute is omitted, the server returns the response in XML. The following example requests information for the ge-0/3/0 interface. The format attribute is omitted.

The Junos XML protocol server returns the information in XML-tagged format, which is identical to the output displayed in the CLI when you include the | display xml option after the operational mode command.

ASCII Format

To request that the Junos XML protocol server return operational information as formatted ASCII text instead of tagging it with Junos XML tag elements, the client application includes the format="text" or format="ascii" attribute in the opening request tag. The client application encloses the request in an <rpc> tag element.

When the client application includes the format="text" or format="ascii" attribute in the request tag, the Junos XML protocol server formats the reply as ASCII text and encloses it in an <output> tag element. The format="text" and format="ascii" attributes produce identical output.

The following example shows the equivalent operational mode command executed in the CLI:

The formatted ASCII text returned by the Junos XML protocol server is identical to the CLI output except in cases where the output includes disallowed characters such as '<' (less-than sign), '>' (greater-than sign), and '&' (ampersand). The Junos XML protocol server substitutes these characters with the equivalent predefined entity reference of '&lt;', '&gt;', and '&amp;' respectively.

If the Junos XML API does not define a response tag element for the type of output requested by a client application, the Junos XML protocol server returns the reply as formatted ASCII text enclosed in an <output> tag element even if XML-tagged output is requested.

For information about the <output> tag element, see the Junos XML API Operational Developer Reference.

Note:

The content and formatting of data within an <output> tag element are subject to change, so client applications must not depend on them.

JSON Format

Starting in Junos OS Release 14.2, a client application can request operational and configuration information in JSON format. To request that the Junos XML protocol server return operational information using JSON format instead of tagging it with Junos XML tag elements, the client application includes the format="json" attribute in the opening request tag. The client application encloses the request in an <rpc> tag element.

When the client application includes the format="json" attribute in the request tag, the Junos XML protocol server formats the reply using JSON.

Starting in Junos OS Release 17.3R1, devices running Junos OS support emitting the device’s operational state in compact JSON format, in which only objects that have multiple values are emitted as JSON arrays. To configure the device to emit compact JSON format, configure the compact statement at the [edit system export-format state-data json] hierarchy level.

The following example executes the show system uptime command and displays the output in non-compact and compact JSON format.

Non-compact JSON format:

The compact JSON format for the same command is:

Change History Table

Feature support is determined by the platform and release you are using. Use Feature Explorer to determine if a feature is supported on your platform.

Release
Description
17.3R1
Starting in Junos OS Release 17.3R1, devices running Junos OS support emitting the device’s operational state in compact JSON format, in which only objects that have multiple values are emitted as JSON arrays.
14.2
Starting in Junos OS Release 14.2, a client application can request operational and configuration information in JSON format.