Create Lists From JSON Data in Javascript (Simple Examples)

Welcome to a quick tutorial on how to create HTML lists from JSON data in Javascript. Want to dynamically generate a list from JSON data?

That should cover the basics, but read on for more examples!

ⓘ I have included a zip file with all the source code at the start of this tutorial, so you don’t have to copy-paste everything… Or if you just want to dive straight in.

 

 

TLDR – QUICK SLIDES

Fullscreen Mode – Click Here

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

QUICK NOTES

If you spot a bug, feel free to comment below. I try to answer short questions too, but it is one person versus the entire world… If you need answers urgently, please check out my list of websites to get help with programming.

 

EXAMPLE CODE DOWNLOAD

Click here to download all the example source code, I have released it under the MIT license, so feel free to build on top of it or use it in your own project.

 

 

 

1) CREATE ELEMENT

<!-- (A) DIV CONTAINER -->
<div id="demoA"></div>

 <!-- (B) JAVASCRIPT -->
<script>
// (B1) JSON STRING TO ARRAY
var data = '["Red","Green","Blue"]';
data = JSON.parse(data);

// (B2) CREATE LIST
var list = document.createElement("ol");
for (let i of data) {
  let item = document.createElement("li");
  item.innerHTML = i;
  list.appendChild(item);
}

// (B3) APPEND LIST TO CONTAINER
document.getElementById("demoA").appendChild(list);
</script>

This is the “full version” of the snippet in the introduction, and it should be pretty self-explanatory:

• We use JSON.parse() to turn the JSON string back into an array.
• Create the HTML list using document.createElement("ol").
• Then loop through the array, append the list items – for (let i of data) { ... document.createElement("li") ... }.
• Lastly, add the list to where it is required – document.getElementById(TARGET).appendChild(list).

 

 

2) MANUAL HTML STRING

<!-- (A) DIV CONTAINER -->
<div id="demoB"></div>
 
<!-- (B) JAVASCRIPT -->
<script>
// (B1) JSON STRING TO ARRAY
var data = '["Red","Green","Blue"]';
data = JSON.parse(data);
 
// (B2) CREATE LIST
var list = "<ul>";
for (let i of data) {
  list += `<li>${i}</li>`;
}
list += "</ul>";

// (B3) APPEND LIST TO CONTAINER
document.getElementById("demoB").innerHTML = list;
</script>

Don’t like the “object-oriented” way of using createElement() and appendChild()? This is an alternative, where we create an HTML string instead.

 

 

3) NESTED OBJECTS & LISTS

<!-- (A) DIV CONTAINER -->
<div id="demoC"></div>
 
<!-- (B) JAVASCRIPT -->
<script>
// (B1) JSON STRING TO OBJECT
var data = '{"Fruits":["Durian","Elderberries","Feijoa"],"Vegetables":["Corn","Daikon","Eggplant"]}';
data = JSON.parse(data);
 
// (B2) CREATE LIST
var list = document.createElement("ul");
for (let i in data) {
  // (B2-1) LIST ITEM
  let item = document.createElement("li");
  list.appendChild(item);
 
  // (B2-2) SUB-SECTION TITLE
  let head = document.createElement("strong");
  head.innerHTML = i;
  item.appendChild(head);
 
  // (B2-3) SUB-SECTION ITEMS
  let sublist = document.createElement("ul");
  item.appendChild(sublist);
  for (let j of data[i]) {
    let subitem = document.createElement("li");
    subitem.innerHTML = j;
    sublist.appendChild(subitem);
  }
}
 
// (B3) APPEND LIST TO CONTAINER
document.getElementById("demoC").appendChild(list);
</script>

Lastly, what if we have a nested object? Keep calm and look carefully, we are pretty much doing the same. Parse the JSON data into an object, then loop through the nested object to create a nested list.

 

 

 

LINKS & REFERENCES

• How to Create Tables From JSON Data in Javascript – Code Boxx

 

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