How to Deserialize an Array of Objects Using Jackson in Java

What is the correct syntax to deserialize an array of objects using Jackson in Java?

//JSON input
[
    {"id" : "junk", "stuff" : "things"},
    {"id" : "spam", "stuff" : "eggs"}
]

Deserializing an array of objects with Jackson in Java involves using the `ObjectMapper` class and the appropriate method to convert JSON input to Java objects. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to achieve this effectively.

// Java code to deserialize array
List<MyClass> entries = objectMapper.readValue(json,
    new TypeReference<List<MyClass>>(){});

Causes

• Inadequate understanding of Jackson's capabilities for handling arrays.
• Not using the correct method for deserializing collections.

Solutions

• To deserialize an array of objects, use `TypeReference` with `ObjectMapper`.
• Call `readValue()` on the `ObjectMapper` instance.

Mistake: Using `MyClass[].class` to deserialize an array, which often leads to errors.

Solution: Use `new TypeReference<List<MyClass>>() {}` instead.

Mistake: Forgetting to handle exceptions that may arise during deserialization.

Solution: Wrap the deserialization code in a try-catch block to handle `IOException`.