Why use json_encode() on a string

[NotionCommotion]

Reasons to use json_last_error() is obvious when decoding, but was not so to me when encoding.  Looking at the documents, malformed UTF-8 characters will result in an error.  The examples given show encoding a string, however, an array with an index value which is malformed UTF-8 characters will result in the same error.

Are there other cases which json_encode() will result in error?

Why would one actually want to use json_encode() on a string?

[requinix]

11 hours ago, NotionCommotion said:

Are there other cases which json_encode() will result in error?

Maybe. And if you don't know all the cases where it might error, all the more reason to check for an error after.

11 hours ago, NotionCommotion said:

Why would one actually want to use json_encode() on a string?

Because the string might not be valid for JSON.

[chhorn]

16 hours ago, NotionCommotion said:

Why would one actually want to use json_encode() on a string?

so you can interact with software that uses JSON as exchange format.