parsing a large multi nested json into scala case class - json

Question

Below is a json example of Twitter's tweet. It's a large json. What is the best library/method to parse it into a case class in scala?
For instance, in Play Framework 2.x it's possible to do that with it's internal library by defining case classes and implicit conversions, but in this case I don't use Play. Should I?
spray-json seems to be most popular scala json library, but in this case it looks quite disappointing - standard approach seems to be limited to 22 elements and uses pattern matching, which becomes ridiculous in the context of multi nested structure with hundreds of elements. Any ideas?
{
"created_at": "Sat Oct 24 06:44:34 +0000 2015",
"id": 657809891558576132,
"id_str": "657809891558576132",
"text": "RT #M23projects: Kara Walker \"Go to Hell or Atlanta, Whichever Come First\" #victoriamiro #London https://t.co/HapqKa4i0l https://t.co/95G…",
"source": "Twitter for iPhone",
"truncated": false,
"in_reply_to_status_id": null,
"in_reply_to_status_id_str": null,
"in_reply_to_user_id": null,
"in_reply_to_user_id_str": null,
"in_reply_to_screen_name": null,
"user": {
"id": 2792146884,
"id_str": "2792146884",
"name": "Tonbridge School Art",
"screen_name": "ArtTonSchool",
"location": "Tonbridge",
"url": null,
"description": "Tonbridge School is an independent day and boarding school for boys. Tweets by the Art Department.",
"protected": false,
"verified": false,
"followers_count": 187,
"friends_count": 288,
"listed_count": 10,
"favourites_count": 1069,
"statuses_count": 1764,
"created_at": "Fri Sep 05 15:37:43 +0000 2014",
"utc_offset": 3600,
"time_zone": "London",
"geo_enabled": true,
"lang": "en-gb",
"contributors_enabled": false,
"is_translator": false,
"profile_background_color": "C0DEED",
"profile_background_image_url": "http://abs.twimg.com/images/themes/theme1/bg.png",
"profile_background_image_url_https": "https://abs.twimg.com/images/themes/theme1/bg.png",
"profile_background_tile": false,
"profile_link_color": "0084B4",
"profile_sidebar_border_color": "C0DEED",
"profile_sidebar_fill_color": "DDEEF6",
"profile_text_color": "333333",
"profile_use_background_image": true,
"profile_image_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/507921409738543104/V35eZACR_normal.jpeg",
"profile_image_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/507921409738543104/V35eZACR_normal.jpeg",
"profile_banner_url": "https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/2792146884/1410119421",
"default_profile": true,
"default_profile_image": false,
"following": null,
"follow_request_sent": null,
"notifications": null
},
"geo": null,
"coordinates": null,
"place": null,
"contributors": null,
"retweeted_status": {
"created_at": "Sat Oct 24 02:27:06 +0000 2015",
"id": 657745100739506176,
"id_str": "657745100739506176",
"text": "Kara Walker \"Go to Hell or Atlanta, Whichever Come First\" #victoriamiro #London https://t.co/HapqKa4i0l https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"source": "Twitter for iPhone",
"truncated": false,
"in_reply_to_status_id": null,
"in_reply_to_status_id_str": null,
"in_reply_to_user_id": null,
"in_reply_to_user_id_str": null,
"in_reply_to_screen_name": null,
"user": {
"id": 999716342,
"id_str": "999716342",
"name": "M23",
"screen_name": "M23projects",
"location": "New York",
"url": "http://M23.co",
"description": "M23's project space + itinerant program promotes new work by new artists. \nhttp://Instagram.com/m23projects",
"protected": false,
"verified": false,
"followers_count": 9150,
"friends_count": 7353,
"listed_count": 174,
"favourites_count": 1354,
"statuses_count": 4666,
"created_at": "Sun Dec 09 17:13:35 +0000 2012",
"utc_offset": -14400,
"time_zone": "Eastern Time (US & Canada)",
"geo_enabled": true,
"lang": "en",
"contributors_enabled": false,
"is_translator": false,
"profile_background_color": "547587",
"profile_background_image_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_background_images/884257252/e329bbc1b91d695862d5b23a209f2d34.jpeg",
"profile_background_image_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_background_images/884257252/e329bbc1b91d695862d5b23a209f2d34.jpeg",
"profile_background_tile": true,
"profile_link_color": "414A4D",
"profile_sidebar_border_color": "FFFFFF",
"profile_sidebar_fill_color": "DDEEF6",
"profile_text_color": "333333",
"profile_use_background_image": true,
"profile_image_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/458985956830236673/Z_4Bq9PJ_normal.jpeg",
"profile_image_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/458985956830236673/Z_4Bq9PJ_normal.jpeg",
"profile_banner_url": "https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/999716342/1398650659",
"default_profile": false,
"default_profile_image": false,
"following": null,
"follow_request_sent": null,
"notifications": null
},
"geo": null,
"coordinates": null,
"place": null,
"contributors": null,
"is_quote_status": false,
"retweet_count": 2,
"favorite_count": 3,
"entities": {
"hashtags": [
{
"text": "London",
"indices": [
74,
81
]
}
],
"urls": [
{
"url": "https://t.co/HapqKa4i0l",
"expanded_url": "http://instagram.com/m23projects",
"display_url": "instagram.com/m23projects",
"indices": [
82,
105
]
}
],
"user_mentions": [
{
"screen_name": "victoriamiro",
"name": "Victoria Miro",
"id": 373924746,
"id_str": "373924746",
"indices": [
58,
71
]
}
],
"symbols": [],
"media": [
{
"id": 657745078413201408,
"id_str": "657745078413201408",
"indices": [
106,
129
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
}
}
]
},
"extended_entities": {
"media": [
{
"id": 657745078413201408,
"id_str": "657745078413201408",
"indices": [
106,
129
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
}
},
{
"id": 657745085275095040,
"id_str": "657745085275095040",
"indices": [
106,
129
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUwAAC-6a.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUwAAC-6a.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 453,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 800,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 768,
"h": 1024,
"resize": "fit"
}
}
},
{
"id": 657745085300277248,
"id_str": "657745085300277248",
"indices": [
106,
129
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5IVAAAn2YH.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5IVAAAn2YH.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 453,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 800,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 768,
"h": 1024,
"resize": "fit"
}
}
},
{
"id": 657745085275082752,
"id_str": "657745085275082752",
"indices": [
106,
129
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUkAAd0oL.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUkAAd0oL.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
}
}
]
},
"favorited": false,
"retweeted": false,
"possibly_sensitive": false,
"filter_level": "low",
"lang": "en"
},
"is_quote_status": false,
"retweet_count": 0,
"favorite_count": 0,
"entities": {
"hashtags": [
{
"text": "London",
"indices": [
91,
98
]
}
],
"urls": [
{
"url": "https://t.co/HapqKa4i0l",
"expanded_url": "http://instagram.com/m23projects",
"display_url": "instagram.com/m23projects",
"indices": [
99,
122
]
}
],
"user_mentions": [
{
"screen_name": "M23projects",
"name": "M23",
"id": 999716342,
"id_str": "999716342",
"indices": [
3,
15
]
},
{
"screen_name": "victoriamiro",
"name": "Victoria Miro",
"id": 373924746,
"id_str": "373924746",
"indices": [
75,
88
]
}
],
"symbols": [],
"media": [
{
"id": 657745078413201408,
"id_str": "657745078413201408",
"indices": [
123,
140
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
},
"source_status_id": 657745100739506176,
"source_status_id_str": "657745100739506176",
"source_user_id": 999716342,
"source_user_id_str": "999716342"
}
]
},
"extended_entities": {
"media": [
{
"id": 657745078413201408,
"id_str": "657745078413201408",
"indices": [
123,
140
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHqfeUkAA4a0Y.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
},
"source_status_id": 657745100739506176,
"source_status_id_str": "657745100739506176",
"source_user_id": 999716342,
"source_user_id_str": "999716342"
},
{
"id": 657745085275095040,
"id_str": "657745085275095040",
"indices": [
123,
140
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUwAAC-6a.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUwAAC-6a.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 453,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 800,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 768,
"h": 1024,
"resize": "fit"
}
},
"source_status_id": 657745100739506176,
"source_status_id_str": "657745100739506176",
"source_user_id": 999716342,
"source_user_id_str": "999716342"
},
{
"id": 657745085300277248,
"id_str": "657745085300277248",
"indices": [
123,
140
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5IVAAAn2YH.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5IVAAAn2YH.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 453,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 800,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 768,
"h": 1024,
"resize": "fit"
}
},
"source_status_id": 657745100739506176,
"source_status_id_str": "657745100739506176",
"source_user_id": 999716342,
"source_user_id_str": "999716342"
},
{
"id": 657745085275082752,
"id_str": "657745085275082752",
"indices": [
123,
140
],
"media_url": "http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUkAAd0oL.jpg",
"media_url_https": "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSDHq5CUkAAd0oL.jpg",
"url": "https://t.co/95GaLC4XTo",
"display_url": "pic.twitter.com/95GaLC4XTo",
"expanded_url": "http://twitter.com/M23projects/status/657745100739506176/photo/1",
"type": "photo",
"sizes": {
"small": {
"w": 340,
"h": 255,
"resize": "fit"
},
"medium": {
"w": 600,
"h": 450,
"resize": "fit"
},
"thumb": {
"w": 150,
"h": 150,
"resize": "crop"
},
"large": {
"w": 1024,
"h": 768,
"resize": "fit"
}
},
"source_status_id": 657745100739506176,
"source_status_id_str": "657745100739506176",
"source_user_id": 999716342,
"source_user_id_str": "999716342"
}
]
},
"favorited": false,
"retweeted": false,
"possibly_sensitive": false,
"filter_level": "low",
"lang": "en",
"timestamp_ms": "1445669074321"
}
**UPDATE: ** I guess I should stick to play-json, even more so for performance reasons - http://derekwyatt.org/2014/01/15/benchmarking-spray-json-argonaut-play-json/

Answer 1

You can depends on Play's JSON library by itself:
// build.sbt
libraryDependencies += "com.typesafe.play" % "play-json_2.11" % "X.X.X"
// Tweet.scala
import play.api.libs.json._
case class User(id: String, name: String, ...)
implicit val userFormat = Json.format[User]
case class Tweet(id: String, content: String, user: User)
implicit val tweetFormat = Json.format[Tweet]
This will use play-json's macros to auto-generate the formatters you need to parse JSON into instances of Tweet and User.
Regardless of library you choose you won't find an elegant solution for handling more than 22 fields since that's a limitation of the case class implementation (up until 2.11) rather than any specific design choice by a library.