MySQL JSON type (5.7+) stores and validates JSON data with rich functions for querying and manipulation. Key features: (1) Native JSON type: Validates on INSERT, stores as binary (faster than TEXT). (2) Extraction: -> gets JSON, ->> gets text, $.path for nested data. (3) Modification: JSON_SET() updates, JSON_INSERT() adds, JSON_REMOVE() deletes. (4) Creation: JSON_OBJECT() creates objects, JSON_ARRAY() creates arrays. (5) Indexing: Generated columns + indexes for fast queries (100x faster). Real-world: Shopify uses JSON for product attributes. Slack uses JSON for user preferences. Trade-off: Slower than PostgreSQL JSONB (text vs binary) but simpler than normalized tables.

**1. JSON Type - Native JSON Support:**

MySQL 5.7+ supports native JSON type with validation and binary storage.

**JSON vs TEXT:**

- **JSON**: Validated on INSERT, binary storage, JSON functions

- **TEXT**: No validation, text storage, no JSON functions

```sql

-- Create table with JSON column

CREATE TABLE users (

user_id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,

email VARCHAR(255),

preferences JSON

);

-- Insert valid JSON

INSERT INTO users (email, preferences) VALUES

('john@example.com', '{"theme": "dark", "language": "en"}');

-- Success

-- Insert invalid JSON (fails)

INSERT INTO users (email, preferences) VALUES

('jane@example.com', '{invalid json}');

-- ERROR: Invalid JSON text

```

**2. Extraction Functions - Get JSON Values:**

**JSON_EXTRACT() or -> operator:**

Gets value as JSON (with quotes for strings).

```sql

-- JSON_EXTRACT: Get value

SELECT

email,

JSON_EXTRACT(preferences, '$.theme') as theme

FROM users;

-- Returns: "dark" (with quotes)

-- -> operator: Shorthand for JSON_EXTRACT

SELECT

email,

preferences->'$.theme' as theme

FROM users;

-- Same as JSON_EXTRACT

```

**->> operator:**