PHP 8.1 Workaround for json_decode deprecating null

php8.1_jsonwrapper.php

<?php
// If you're anything like me, you upgraded from PHP 7.x to PHP 8.x and discovered that everywhere you were using
// JSON in your code, there were some new deprecation warnings getting in your way.
//
// So, since I use auto_prepend_file in my php.ini, this was a super easy solution.
// My recommendation is to do the same thing. Create an auto_prepend file, and put this snippet in it.

// the new function
define("decode", "json_decode");
define("encode", "json_encode");
function json($action, $object, $pretty=false){
  if($object == NULL) return NULL;
  if($action == decode){
    return json_decode($object, true);
  }elseif($action == encode){
    if($pretty){
      return json(encode, $object, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT);
    }else{
      return json(encode, $object);
    }
  }else{
    throw new Exception("Invalid action provided to json()");
  }
}
// end the new function

// usage
$json = json(encode, ["myObject" => "is not an Object ;)"]); // {"myObject": "is not an Object ;)"}
$decoded = json(decode, $json); // Array([myObject] => "is not an Object ;)")

json(encode, NULL); // null, with no deprecation warning.

// and finally,
json(encode, $decoded, true);
// Returns:
// {
//   "myObject": "is not an Object ;)"
// }