DOCUMENTATION:
  name: to_json
  author: core team
  version_added: 'historical'
  short_description: Convert variable to JSON string
  description:
    - Converts an Ansible variable into a JSON string representation.
    - This filter functions as a wrapper to the Python C(json.dumps) function.
    - Ansible internally auto-converts JSON strings into variable structures so this plugin is used to force it into a JSON string.
  options:
    _input:
      description: A variable or expression that returns a data structure.
      type: raw
      required: true
    vault_to_text:
      description: Toggle to either unvault a vault or create the JSON version of a vaulted object.
      type: bool
      default: True
      version_added: '2.9'
    preprocess_unsafe:
      description: Toggle to represent unsafe values directly in JSON or create a unsafe object in JSON.
      type: bool
      default: True
      version_added: '2.9'
    allow_nan:
      description: When C(False), strict adherence to float value limits of the JSON specifications, so C(nan), C(inf) and C(-inf) values will produce errors.
                   When C(True), JavaScript equivalents will be used (C(NaN), C(Infinity), C(-Infinity)).
      default: True
      type: bool
    check_circular:
      description: Controls the usage of the internal circular reference detection, if off can result in overflow errors.
      default: True
      type: bool
    ensure_ascii:
      description: Escapes all non ASCII characters.
      default: True
      type: bool
    indent:
      description: Number of spaces to indent Python structures, mainly used for display to humans.
      default: 0
      type: integer
    separators:
      description: The C(item) and C(key) separator to be used in the serialized output,
                   default may change depending on I(indent) and Python version.
      default: "(', ', ': ')"
      type: tuple
    skipkeys:
      description: If C(True), keys that are not basic Python types will be skipped.
      default: False
      type: bool
    sort_keys:
      description: Affects sorting of dictionary keys.
      default: False
      type: bool
  notes:
    - Both I(vault_to_text) and I(preprocess_unsafe) defaulted to C(False) between Ansible 2.9 and 2.12.
    - 'These parameters to C(json.dumps) will be ignored, as they are overriden internally: I(cls), I(default)'

EXAMPLES: |
  # dump variable in a template to create a JSON document
  {{ docker_config|to_json }}

  # same as above but 'prettier' (equivalent to to_nice_json filter)
  {{ docker_config|to_json(indent=4, sort_keys=True) }}

RETURN:
  _value:
    description: The JSON serialized string representing the variable structure inputted.
    type: string