JSON Patch and Merge Patch Explained

JSON Patch (RFC 6902)

Defines a sequence of operations to precisely control modifications.

[
  { "op": "replace", "path": "/baz", "value": "boo" },
  { "op": "add", "path": "/hello", "value": ["world"] },
  { "op": "remove", "path": "/foo" }
]

Features: Atomicity, supports move/copy, explicit semantics.

JSON Merge Patch (RFC 7396)

Resembles simple object merging, using null to indicate deletion.

{
  "title": "Hello!",
  "author": {
    "familyName": null
  },
  "phoneNumber": "+01-123-456-7890"
}

Features: Simple syntax, no partial array updates (replacement only), cannot set value to null (if null means delete).

Selection Advice

• Simple Updates: Merge Patch suffices for most CRUD scenarios.
• Complex Operations: Use JSON Patch for array manipulation or precise control.

Summary

Choosing the right Patch standard simplifies API design while meeting different data update granularity needs.