How to auto-generate a C# class file from a JSON string

Given the following JSON object,

form = {
  "name": "",
  "address": {
    "street": "",
    "city": "",
    "province": "",
    "postalCode": "",
    "country": ""
  },
  "phoneDay": "",
  "phoneCell": "",
  "businessName": "",
  "website": "",
  "email": ""
}

what is a tool to auto-generate the following C# class?

public class ContactInfo
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public Address Address { get; set; }
    public string PhoneDay { get; set; }
    public string PhoneCell { get; set; }
    public string BusinessName { get; set; }
    public string Website { get; set; }
    public string Email { get; set; }
}

public class Address
{
    public string Street { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public string Province { get; set; }
    public string PostalCode { get; set; }
    public string Country { get; set; }
}

We have already looked at these questions:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6358745/generate-c-sharp-classes-from-json-schema Is asking about JSON Schemas which may be an approach to use down the road.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9229237/benefits-and-drawbacks-of-generated-c-sharp-classes-for-json-objects

Five options:

• Use the free jsonutils web tool without installing anything.

• If you have Web Essentials in Visual Studio, use Edit > Paste special > paste JSON as class.

• Use the free jsonclassgenerator.exe

• The web tool app.quicktype.io does not require installing anything.

• The web tool json2csharp also does not require installing anything.

Pros and Cons:

• jsonclassgenerator converts to PascalCase but the others do not.

• app.quicktype.io has some logic to recognize dictionaries and handle JSON properties whose names are invalid c# identifiers.

Visual Studio 2012 (with ASP.NET and Web Tools 2012.2 RC installed) supports this natively.

Visual Studio 2013 onwards have this built-in.

(Image courtesy: robert.muehsig)

If you install Web Essentials into Visual studio you can go to Edit => Past special => paste JSON as class.

That is probably the easiest there is.

Web Essentials: http://vswebessentials.com/