PHP array json_encode adding extra quotes

The JSON string you get is 100% valid and corresponds exactly to the input array you've built. json_encode() will never attempt to make the guessing game you take for granted: if you have a string that contains { PHP will generate a string that contains {—it won't even consider the possibility of starting an object!

You obviously need to build your array this way:

$input = array(
    array(
        'code' => 'EU27',
        'debtA' => '1739414366187',
        'debtB' => '8719158563660',
        'id' => 'eur',
        'name' => 'EU',
        'popY' => '460572909944',
        'popZ' => '2396933253407',
    ),
    array(
        'code' => 'US',
        'debtA' => '7810766144794',
        'debtB' => '10536751929567',
        'id' => 'usa',
        'name' => 'United States',
        'popY' => '8571487476842',
        'popZ' => '1716024078740',
    ),
);

$output = json_encode($input);

Additionally, key names must be quoted—it isn't an option because they are strings:

A string is a sequence of zero or more Unicode characters, wrapped in double quotes, using backslash escapes. A character is represented as a single character string. A string is very much like a C or Java string.

First of you are making array of improper syntax:

[0] => {

Secondly the result you are looking for is an array of objects. This said; you will want to do something like the following:

$array = array();

$array[0] = new StdObject;
$array[0] -> code = "EU27";
// other values added to object

$array[1] = new StdObject;
$array[1] -> code = "US";
// other values added to second object

$json = json_encode( $array );

Alternatively you can also use an array instead of an object:

$array = array();

$array[0] = array(
"code" => "EU27",
// other values
);

$array[1] = array(
"code" => "US",
// other values
);

$json = json_encode( $array );

The proper json you want is

'             [
                  {
                   "code" : "EU27",
                   "debtA" : "1739414366187",
                   "debtB" : "8719158563660",
                   "id" : "eur",
                   "name" : "EU",
                   "popY" : "460572909944",
                   "popZ" : "2396933253407" },
                 {
                   "code" : "US",
                   "debtA" : "7810766144794",
                   "debtB" : "10536751929567",
                   "id" : "usa",
                   "name" : "United States",
                   "popY" : "8571487476842",
                   "popZ" : "1716024078740" }
                    ]

This json corresponds to the multidimenstional array which should be like: `

            Array
              (
                  [0] => Array
                      (
                          [code] => EU27
                          [debtA] => 1739414366187
                          [debtB] => 8719158563660
                          [id] => eur
                          [name] => EU
                          [popY] => 460572909944
                          [popZ] => 2396933253407
                      )

                  [1] => Array
                      (
                          [code] => US
                          [debtA] => 7810766144794
                          [debtB] => 10536751929567
                          [id] => usa
                          [name] => United States
                          [popY] => 8571487476842
                          [popZ] => 1716024078740
                      )

              )`          

For better understaning see here http://php.net/manual/en/function.json-encode.php '

You can achieve this easily.

First Use array in associated form here is how:

 $a = [ 
 [
 'code'=>'EU27',
 'debtA' => 967576248244, .... etc
 ], 
 [
 'code'=>'Something',
 'debtA' => 874376347, .... etc
 ]
 ];

then cast inner arrays to objects

 foreach($a as $k = $v)$a[$k] = (object)$v;

then json encode it... End of tragedy.
Here what I tried as a sample:

 $a = [ 
 [
 'code'=>'EU27',
 'debtA' => 967576248244//, .... etc
 ], 
 [
 'code'=>'Something',
 'debtA' => 874376347//, .... etc
 ]
 ];

 foreach($a as $k => $v)$a[$k]=(object)$a[$k];
 echo json_encode($a);

And that is what I got:

 [{"code":"EU27","debtA":967576248244},{"code":"Something","debtA":874376347}]

Hope this helps.