How to convert JSON data to tidy format in R - r

Question

I never have worked with json data in R and unfortunately, I was sent a sample of data as:
{
"task_id": "104",
"status": "succeeded",
"metrics": {
"requests_made": 2,
"network_errors": 0,
"unique_locations_visited": 0,
"requests_queued": 0,
"queue_items_completed": 2,
"queue_items_waiting": 0,
"issue_events": 9,
"caption": "",
"progress": 100
},
"message": "",
"issue_events": [
{
"id": "1234",
"type": "issue_found",
"issue": {
"name": "policy not enforced",
"type_index": 123456789,
"serial_number": "123456789183923712",
"origin": "https://test.com",
"path": "/robots.txt",
"severity": "low",
"confidence": "certain",
"caption": "/robots.txt",
"evidence": [
{
"type": "FirstOrderEvidence",
"detail": {
"band_flags": [
"in_band"
]
},
"request_response": {
"url": "https://test.com/robots.txt",
"request": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "jaghsdjgasdgaskjdgasdgashdgsahdgasjkdgh==",
"length": 313
}
],
"response": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "asudasjdgasaaasgdasgaksjdhgasjdgkjghKGKGgKJgKJgKJGKgh==",
"length": 303
}
],
"was_redirect_followed": false,
"request_time": "1234567890"
}
}
],
"internal_data": "jdfhgjhJHkjhdskfhkjhjs0sajkdfhKHKhkj=="
}
},
{
"id": "1235",
"type": "issue_found",
"issue": {
"name": "certificate",
"type_index": 12345845684,
"serial_number": "123456789165637150",
"origin": "https://test.com",
"path": "/",
"severity": "info",
"confidence": "certain",
"description": "The server description a valid, trusted certificate. This issue is purely informational.<br><br>The server presented the following certificates:<br><br><h4>Server certificate</h4><table><tr><td><b>Issued to:</b> </td><td>test.ie, test.com, www.test.com, www.test.ie</td></tr><tr><td><b>Issued by:</b> </td><td>GeoTrust EV RSA CA 2018</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid from:</b> </td><td>Tue May 12 00:00:00 UTC 2020</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid to:</b> </td><td>Tue May 17 12:00:00 UTC 2022</td></tr></table><h4>Certificate chain #1</h4><table><tr><td><b>Issued to:</b> </td><td>GeoTrust EV RSA CA 2018</td></tr><tr><td><b>Issued by:</b> </td><td> High Assurance EV Root CA</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid from:</b> </td><td>Mon Nov 06 12:22:46 UTC 2017</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid to:</b> </td><td>Sat Nov 06 12:22:46 UTC 2027</td></tr></table><h4>Certificate chain #2</h4><table><tr><td><b>Issued to:</b> </td><td> High Assurance EV Root CA</td></tr><tr><td><b>Issued by:</b> </td><td> High Assurance EV Root CA</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid from:</b> </td><td>Fri Nov 10 00:00:00 UTC 2006</td></tr><tr><td><b>Valid to:</b> </td><td>Mon Nov 10 00:00:00 UTC 2031</td></tr></table>",
"caption": "/",
"evidence": [],
"internal_data": "sjhdgsajdggJGJHgjfgjhGJHgjhsdgfgjhGJHGjhsdgfjhsgfdsjfg098867hjhgJHGJHG=="
}
},
{
"id": "1236",
"type": "issue_found",
"issue": {
"name": "without flag set",
"type_index": 1254392,
"serial_number": "12345678965616",
"origin": "https://test.com",
"path": "/robots.txt",
"severity": "info",
"confidence": "certain",
"description": "my description text here....",
"caption": "/robots.txt",
"evidence": [
{
"type": "InformationListEvidence",
"request_response": {
"url": "https://test.com/robots.txt",
"request": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh==",
"length": 313
}
],
"response": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh=",
"length": 161
},
{
"type": "HighlightSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdf=",
"length": 119
},
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "AasjkdhasjkhkjHKJSDHFJKSDFHKhjkHSKADJFHKhjkhjkh=",
"length": 23
}
],
"was_redirect_followed": false,
"request_time": "178454751191465"
},
"information_items": [
"Other: user_id"
]
}
],
"internal_data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKH=="
}
},
{
"id": "1237",
"type": "issue_found",
"issue": {
"name": "without flag set",
"type_index": 1234567,
"serial_number": "123456789056704",
"origin": "https://test.com",
"path": "/",
"severity": "info",
"confidence": "certain",
"description": "long description here zjkhasdjkh hsajkdhsajkd hasjkdhbsjkdash d",
"caption": "/",
"evidence": [
{
"type": "InformationListEvidence",
"request_response": {
"url": "https://test.com/",
"request": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfhsfdsfdsfdsfdsfdsfsdfdsf",
"length": 303
}
],
"response": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh==",
"length": 151
},
{
"type": "HighlightSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh=",
"length": 119
},
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "sdfdsfsdfSDFSDFdSFDS546SDFSDFDSFG657=",
"length": 23
}
],
"was_redirect_followed": false,
"request_time": "123541191466"
},
"information_items": [
"Other: user_id"
]
}
],
"internal_data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsd=="
}
},
{
"id": "1238",
"type": "issue_found",
"issue": {
"name": "parameter pollution",
"type_index": 4137000,
"serial_number": "123456789810290176",
"origin": "https://test.com",
"path": "/robots.txt",
"severity": "low",
"confidence": "firm",
"description": "very long description text here...",
"caption": "/robots.txt [URL path filename]",
"evidence": [
{
"type": "FirstOrderEvidence",
"detail": {
"payload": {
"bytes": "Q3jkeiZkcmg8MQ==",
"flags": 0
},
"band_flags": [
"in_band"
]
},
"request_response": {
"url": "https://test.com/%3fhdz%26drh%3d1",
"request": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "W1QOIC8=",
"length": 5
},
{
"type": "HighlightSegment",
"data": "WRMnBGR6JTI2ZHJoJTNkMQ==",
"length": 16
},
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfhcvxxcvklxcvjkxclvjxclkvjxcklvjlxckjvlxckjvklxcjvxcklvjxcklvjxckljvlxckjvxcklvjxckljvxcklvjcklxjvcxkl==",
"length": 298
}
],
"response": [
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh==",
"length": 130
},
{
"type": "HighlightSegment",
"data": "Q4jleiZkcmg9MQ==",
"length": 10
},
{
"type": "DataSegment",
"data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh==",
"length": 163
}
],
"was_redirect_followed": false,
"request_time": "51"
}
}
],
"internal_data": "adjkhajksdhaskjdhkjHKJHjkhaskjdhkjasdhKHKJHkjsdhfkjsdhfkjsdhKHJKHjksdfhsdjkfhksdjhKHKJHJKhsdkfjhsdkfjhKHJKHjksdkfjhsdkjfhKHKJHjkhsdkfjhsdkjfhsdjkfhksdjfhKJHKjksdhfsdjkfhksdjfhsdkjhKHJKhsdkfhsdkjfhsdkfhdskjhKHKjhsdfkjhsdjkfh="
}
}
],
"event_logs": [],
"audit_items": []
}
I read it in R using jsonlite:
df_orig <- fromJSON('dast_sample_output.json', flatten= T)
This gives a nested list type R object. I wish to convert this list to a data frame in a tidy format with all the arrays and sub arrays being unnested.
If you run the str(df_orig), you could see the nested data frames in there.
How do I convert it to tidy format?
I tried unnest(), purrr but struggling to get into the tidy format for analysis? Any pointers would be highly appreciated.
Cheers,

Answer 1

use the jsonlite package function fromJSON()
edit:
set option flatten=T
edit2:
use content( x, 'text') before flattening
here is a full example converting to data.table:
get.json <- GET( apicall.text )
get.json.text <- content( get.json , 'text')
get.json.flat <- fromJSON( get.json.text , flatten = T)
dt <- as.data.table( get.json.flat )