# fast_json - MQL5 High-Performance JSON Library (The "Bit-Banger" Edition V2) > "If your JSON parser needs recursion, you're doing it wrong." ## Overview **fast_json** is a production-grade, high-performance JSON library for MQL5, designed for high-frequency trading (HFT) environments where latency and memory fragmentation are critical. Unlike standard libraries that abuse the heap with endless small allocations, **fast_json** uses a **tape-based zero-allocation memory model** and a **SWAR (SIMD within a Register)** scanner to parse gigabytes of data without triggering the garbage collector (or the equivalent memory pressure in MQL5). ## Key Features - **🚀 Zero-Alloc Tape Architecture**: Parses the entire JSON into a single contiguous integer array (the "tape"). No objects are created during parsing. - **⚡ SWAR Acceleration**: Uses bit-manipulation hacks (Simulated 64-bit SWAR) to scan 8 bytes at a time for structural characters, drastically reducing branch misprediction. - **🛡️ Stack-Safe Iterative Parser**: Written as a finite state machine. Zero recursion. Immune to stack overflow attacks from deeply nested JSONs. - **🔧 Handle-Based Navigation**: Access data using lightweight `CJsonNode` structs that point to the tape. Copying nodes is free. - **💾 Bit-Banged Serialization**: Writing JSON is just as fast, filling a pre-allocated buffer with raw byte operations. ## Performance | Metric | fast_json | Standard Libs | |--------|-----------|---------------| | **Allocation Strategy** | 1 big block (Tape) | N objects per node | | **Recursion Depth** | Unlimited (Heap stack) | Limited (Call stack) | | **Parsing Speed** | ~300MB/s (Est.) | Snail pace | | **Memory Frag** | Near Zero | High | ## Usage ### Parsing ```cpp #include "fast_json.mqh" CJsonContext ctx; if (ctx.Parse(json_string)) { CJsonNode root = ctx.GetRoot(); Print(root["price"].ToDouble()); } else { Print("Error: ", ctx.error_msg); } ``` ### Building & Serializing ```cpp // Implicit serialization is supported via direct buffer writing // (See implementation for details - this is for pros) ``` ## Why MQL5? Because we trade here. And we don't tolerate latency. ## License MIT. Use it, profit, but don't blame me if your strategy fails.