What function is used to parse JSON data in Transact-SQL?

The function used to parse JSON data in Transact-SQL is JSON_VALUE. This function extracts a scalar value from a JSON string. It specifically allows users to retrieve a single value from a JSON object by specifying the path to that value. This path can include key names and, if applicable, array indexes.

JSON_VALUE is particularly useful for querying JSON data stored in SQL Server and Azure SQL Database, enabling seamless integration of JSON documents with SQL queries. By using this function, data engineers can efficiently handle and manipulate JSON data without the need for complex parsing logic.

The other provided options are not valid functions in Transact-SQL for working with JSON data, which differentiates JSON_VALUE as the correct choice. JSON_READ and JSON_PARSE, for example, do not exist in the SQL Server’s set of JSON functions, and while JSON_EXTRACT might be familiar from other SQL dialects, it's not applicable in this context. Therefore, JSON_VALUE stands out as the functional choice for parsing JSON data within Transact-SQL.