# Responding with JSON

## Introduction

Typed JSON objects are serialized automatically to the `application/json` format when returned from a handler.

## Example

{% code title="PersonPage.json" %}

```javascript
{
    "FirstName": "Bilbo",
    "LastName": "Baggins"
}
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="PersonPage.json.cs" %}

```csharp
using Starcounter;

namespace MyApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            Handle.GET("/GetPerson", () =>
            {
                return new PersonPage(); // {"FirstName":"Bilbo","LastName":"Baggins"}
            });
        }
    }
}
```

{% endcode %}

## Setting Status Code and Description

The default HTTP status code for responses is 200 OK.

To change this, two methods are provided to the `Handle` class: `SetOutgoingStatusCode` and `SetOutgoingStatusDescription`.

In code, they look like this:

{% code title="Program.cs" %}

```csharp
using Starcounter;

namespace MyApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            Handle.GET("/NotFound", () => 
            {
                Handle.SetOutgoingStatusCode(404);
                Handle.SetOutgoingStatusDescription("Not Found");
                return "";
            });
        }
    }
}
```

{% endcode %}

It is also possible to change the status code and description by creating a `Response` object:

{% code title="PersonPage.json" %}

```javascript
{
    "FirstName": "Gandalf",
    "LastName": "Gray",
    "Quote": "You shall not pass!" 
}
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="PersonPage.json.cs" %}

```csharp
using Starcounter;

namespace MyApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main()
        {
            Handle.GET("/GetPerson", () =>
            {
                var json = new PersonPage();

                var response = new Response()
                {
                    StatusCode = 403,
                    StatusDescription = "Forbidden",
                    Body = json.ToJson()
                };

                return response; // Body: {"FirstName":"Gandalf","LastName":"Gray","Quote":"You shall not pass!"}
            });
        }
    }
}
```

{% endcode %}

The JSON needs to be explicitly parsed to a string using `ToJson` when attaching a Typed JSON object to the body of a `Response`.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.starcounter.io/2.3.2/guides/typed-json/responding-with-json.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.