# JSON Flatten & Unflatten (`hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten`) Actor

Flatten nested JSON into dot-path keys or rebuild nested JSON from flat keys. Perfect for turning deep API data into flat columns for CSV, SQL and BI tools.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten.md
- **Developed by:** [hiper soft](https://apify.com/hipersoft) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.0025 / json transformed

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## JSON Flatten & Unflatten

**Flatten nested JSON into dot-path keys — or rebuild nested JSON from flat keys.** Turn deep API responses and config objects into flat `user.address.city` columns ready for CSV, SQL and BI tools, or reverse the process to reconstruct nested structures. Every run also saves the full transformed JSON to your storage.

![JSON Flatten & Unflatten input — configure the options in the Apify Console](https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/SUfvnaFLd9z9eBCtV/records/json-flatten-unflatten-input.png)

### What it does

- **Flatten**: `{ "user": { "name": "Ada" } }` → `{ "user.name": "Ada" }`.
- **Unflatten**: `{ "user.name": "Ada" }` → `{ "user": { "name": "Ada" } }`.
- Custom key **delimiter** and optional **max depth**.
- Emits one **key/value row per path** (perfect for CSV/Excel) and the full JSON as a file.

### Use cases

- **Data engineering** — flatten nested JSON before loading into a spreadsheet, SQL table or BI tool.
- **Config management** — convert between flat env-style keys and nested config.
- **API prep** — reshape deep responses into flat records.

### Input

```json
{ "jsonText": "{ \"user\": { \"name\": \"Ada\", \"address\": { \"city\": \"London\" } } }", "mode": "flatten", "delimiter": "." }
```

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `jsonText` | string | The JSON to transform (as text). |
| `mode` | string | `flatten` or `unflatten`. |
| `delimiter` | string | Character joining nested keys. Default `.`. |
| `maxDepth` | integer | Stop flattening beyond this depth (0 = no limit). |

### Output

![JSON Flatten & Unflatten output — the results as a clean dataset](https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/SUfvnaFLd9z9eBCtV/records/json-flatten-unflatten-output.png)

Key/value rows in the dataset, plus the full transformed JSON at `result.json` in your key-value store.

```json
{ "key": "user.address.city", "value": "London", "resultUrl": "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/.../records/result.json" }
```

#### Output schema

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `key` | string | Flattened key path (or `(result)` for unflatten). |
| `value` | string | Value at that key. |
| `resultUrl` | string (URL) | Link to the full transformed JSON file. |

### FAQ

**Can I paste an array?** Yes — arrays and objects are both supported.

**Where's the full result?** Saved as `result.json` in the run's key-value store (link in every row).

**Can I automate it?** Yes — via [integrations on the Apify platform](https://apify.com/integrations) and the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2).

### Notes

Original clean-room implementation.

# Actor input Schema

## `jsonText` (type: `string`):

The JSON to transform, as text. For flatten, paste a nested object; for unflatten, paste an object with dot-path keys.

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Flatten a nested object into dot-path keys, or unflatten dot-path keys back into a nested object.

## `delimiter` (type: `string`):

Character joining nested keys, e.g. "user.address.city".

## `maxDepth` (type: `integer`):

Stop flattening beyond this depth (0 = no limit).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "jsonText": "{\n  \"user\": { \"name\": \"Ada\", \"address\": { \"city\": \"London\", \"zip\": \"EC1\" } },\n  \"tags\": [\"a\", \"b\"]\n}",
  "mode": "flatten",
  "delimiter": ".",
  "maxDepth": 0
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

The results as dataset items.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "jsonText": `{
  "user": { "name": "Ada", "address": { "city": "London", "zip": "EC1" } },
  "tags": ["a", "b"]
}`
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "jsonText": """{
  \"user\": { \"name\": \"Ada\", \"address\": { \"city\": \"London\", \"zip\": \"EC1\" } },
  \"tags\": [\"a\", \"b\"]
}""" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "jsonText": "{\\n  \\"user\\": { \\"name\\": \\"Ada\\", \\"address\\": { \\"city\\": \\"London\\", \\"zip\\": \\"EC1\\" } },\\n  \\"tags\\": [\\"a\\", \\"b\\"]\\n}"
}' |
apify call hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hipersoft/json-flatten-unflatten"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/lFUlAi1HdNf0cSBdt/builds/QNwT3Yhi0cZOduvzI/openapi.json