# Introduction

`Zend\Json` provides convenience methods for serializing native *PHP* to *JSON* and decoding *JSON*
to native *PHP*. For more information on *JSON*, [visit the JSON project
site](http://www.json.org/).

*JSON*, JavaScript Object Notation, can be used for data interchange between JavaScript and other
languages. Since *JSON* can be directly evaluated by JavaScript, it is a more efficient and
lightweight format than *XML* for exchanging data with JavaScript clients.

In addition, `Zend\Json` provides a useful way to convert any arbitrary *XML* formatted string into
a *JSON* formatted string. This built-in feature will enable *PHP* developers to transform the
enterprise data encoded in *XML* format into *JSON* format before sending it to browser-based Ajax
client applications. It provides an easy way to do dynamic data conversion on the server-side code
thereby avoiding unnecessary *XML* parsing in the browser-side applications. It offers a nice
utility function that results in easier application-specific data processing techniques.
