- a README

README.md

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+# Yet another JSON class for C++
+
+[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/nlohmann/json.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/nlohmann/json)
+
+## Design goals
+
+There are myriads of [JSON](http://json.org) libraries out there, and each may even have its reason to exist. Our class had these design goals:
+
+- **Trivial integration**. Our whole code consists of just two files: A header file `JSON.h` and a source file `JSON.cc`. That's it. No library, no subproject, no dependencies. The class is written in vanilla C++98 and -- if possible -- uses some features of C++11 such as move constructors.
+
+- **Intiuitve syntax**. In languages such as Python, JSON feels like a first class data type. We used all the operator magic of C++ to achieve the same feeling in your code. Check out the examples below and you know, what I mean.
+
+Other aspects were not so important to us:
+
+- **Memory efficiency**. Each JSON object has an overhead of one pointer and one enumeration element (1 byte). We use the following C++ data types: `std::string` for strings, `int` or `double` for numbers, `std::map` for objects, `std::vector` for arrays, and `bool` for Booleans. We know that there are more efficient ways to store the values, but we are happy enough right now. And by the way: [Valgrind](http://valgrind.org) says our code is free of leaks.
+
+- **Speed**. We currently implement the parser as naive [recursive descent parser](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recursive_descent_parser) with hand coded string handling. It is fast enough, but a [LALR-parser](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LALR_parser) with a decent regular expression processor should be even faster.
+
+- **Rigourous standard compliance**. We followed the [specification](http://json.org) as close as possible, but did not invest too much in a 100% compliance with respect to Unicode support. As a result, there might be edge cases of false positives and false negatives, but as long as we have a hand-written parser, we won't invest too much to be fully compliant.
+
+## Integration
+
+All you need to do is add
+
+```cpp
+#include "JSON.h"
+```
+
+to the files you want to use JSON objects. Furthermore, you need to compile the file `JSON.cc` and link it to your binaries.