_json field

The _json field returns the complete raw content payload for a content item in a single Optimizely Graph GraphQL query, so clients can render any content type without listing every field by hand. Use this field for dynamic presentation layers, content-as-a-service integrations, and previews where the full object matters more than a specific schema.

Prerequisites

The _json field is locked behind a feature flag and requires an API key with read access to the target content. Confirm the following before running the example queries:

• The _json field displays in your GraphQL schema. If it does not, contact your system administrator to enable the feature flag.
• The API key used for the query has read permission on the affected content types and properties.

What the _json field provides

The _json field returns the full serialized content item, which is the highest-fidelity response Optimizely Graph offers in a single field. Use it when the calling layer cannot enumerate fields ahead of time.

When you request _json, Optimizely Graph returns the entire serialized content item as a JSON object.

The _json output includes the following:

• All content properties and values.
• Nested data (content areas, blocks, media, and references).
• Standard metadata fields such as Name, Key, Language, and ContentLink.

Retrieve a complete content item

query GetStartPage {
  StartPage {
    item {
      Name
      _json
    }
  }
}

Response (simplified):

{
  "data": {
    "StartPage": {
      "item": {
        "Name": "Home Page",
        "_json": {
          "Name": "Home Page",
          "Heading": "Welcome",
          "MainBody": "Welcome to our website",
          "Created": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
          "Status": "Published",
          "Language": {
            "DisplayName": "English",
            "Name": "en"
          },
          "ContentLink": {
            "Id": 1,
            "GuidValue": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111",
            "Url": "/home"
          },
          "__typename": "StartPage"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Combine _json with specific fields when you need both structured values and the full object.

Supported use cases

The following sections describe the placements where _json returns a useful payload. Pick the placement that matches the query shape you already use.

Use _json in the following locations.

Use _json on the item field

The item placement is the most common pattern and returns the full payload for a single content item. Use _json inside an item query to return the full content item.

query GetStartPage {
  StartPage {
    item {
      Name
      _json   # Returns the complete content item
    }
  }
}

Use _json inside expanded references

The Expanded placement returns fully resolved block or nested content data, which is useful for content areas that mix multiple block types. Use _json inside Expanded to return fully resolved block or nested content data.

query GetPageWithBlocks {
  StartPage {
    item {
      Name
      MainContentArea {
        Tag
        ContentLink {
          Expanded {
            Name
            _json   # Full nested block data
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Use _json with filters, sorting, or search

The _json field works inside item selections that also use the standard query primitives, which avoids the need to choose between filtering and full payloads. Use _json inside item even when the query includes filters, sorting, or facets.

query FilteredContent {
  Content(
    where: { Name: { contains: "product" } }
    orderBy: { _score: DESC }
    limit: 5
  ) {
    items {
      item {
        Name
        _json   # Full item data
      }
    }
  }
}

Unsupported use cases

The _json field has one placement restriction that prevents oversized collection responses. Knowing this restriction up front avoids a class of schema errors during query design.

Optimizely Graph does not support the _json field directly under items in collection queries because returning the full payload for every list entry produces oversized responses and can degrade query performance.

# Not supported
query Invalid {
  Content {
    items {
      _json   # This causes an error
    }
  }
}

To retrieve full data for each item, use item { _json }:

# Supported alternative
query GetAllContent {
  Content {
    items {
      item {
        _json
      }
    }
  }
}

Advanced use cases of _json

The advanced patterns extend the supported placements with two common product scenarios: a dynamic renderer that handles any content type, and a nested-block query that returns full block data alongside the parent page.

Dynamic content rendering

A dynamic renderer reads the content type from the payload and selects a component at runtime, which removes the need to redeploy when editors add a new type. Use _json to build presentation layers that adapt to any content structure.

query GetContent {
  Content {
    item {
      Name
      ContentType
      _json     # Retrieve all fields for dynamic rendering
    }
  }
}

Retrieve nested content

The nested-content pattern combines an _json selection on the parent page with another _json inside Expanded to return both the page payload and every block payload in one query. Use _json inside expanded references to return complete block content.

query GetPageWithBlocks {
  StartPage {
    item {
      Name
      MainContentArea {
        Tag
        ContentLink {
          Expanded {
            Name
            _json     # Full details for each block in the content area
          }
        }
      }
      _json
    }
  }
}

Performance considerations

The performance profile of _json differs from field-by-field queries because the response can be significantly larger. Apply the following guidelines to keep request latency and payload size predictable.

The _json field returns more data than typical field-based queries. To optimize performance, follow these guidelines:

• Use _json only when you need most or all fields for a content item.
• Avoid using _json in large list queries (not supported on items).
• Combine item { specificField _json } if you need both explicit fields and the full payload.

Security and data protection

The security model for _json follows the standard API key permissions and excludes sensitive system metadata, so callers cannot escalate privileges through full-payload queries.

The _json field only returns data your API key has permission to access. Optimizely Graph excludes the following sensitive system metadata from every _json response:

• User permissions.
• Role assignments.
• Internal security attributes.