# DataTables example Nested object data (objects)

DataTables has the ability to use data from almost any JSON data source through the use of the `columns.data` option. In its simplest case, it can be used to read arbitrary object properties, but can also be extended to n levels of nested objects / arrays through the use of standard Javascript dotted object notation. Each dot (`.`) in the `columns.data` option represents another object level.

In this example `hr.position` refers to the `position` property of the `hr` object in the row's data source object, while `contact.0` refers to the first element of the `contact` array. Any number of dots can be used to obtain deeply nested data.

The example below shows DataTables reading information for the columns from nested objects and arrays, where the structure of the row's data source in this example is:

    {
    	"name": "Tiger Nixon",
    	"hr": {
    		"position": "System Architect",
    		"salary": "$3,120",
    		"start_date": "2011/04/25"
    	},
    	"contact": [
    		"Edinburgh",
    		"5421"
    	]
    }

Name | Position | Office | Extn. | Start date | Salary
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Name | Position | Office | Extn. | Start date | Salary

- Javascript
- HTML
- CSS
- Ajax
- Server-side script

The Javascript shown below is used to initialise the table shown in this example:

`$(document).ready(function () { $('#example').DataTable({ processing: true, ajax: 'data/objects_deep.txt', columns: [ { data: 'name' }, { data: 'hr.position' }, { data: 'contact.0' }, { data: 'contact.1' }, { data: 'hr.start_date' }, { data: 'hr.salary' }, ], }); });`

In addition to the above code, the following Javascript library files are loaded for use in this example:

- https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.5.1.js
- ../../media/js/jquery.dataTables.js

The HTML shown below is the raw HTML table element, before it has been enhanced by DataTables:

This example uses a little bit of additional CSS beyond what is loaded from the library files (below), in order to correctly display the table. The additional CSS used is shown below:

``

The following CSS library files are loaded for use in this example to provide the styling of the table:

- ../../media/css/jquery.dataTables.css

This table loads data by Ajax. The latest data that has been loaded is shown below. This data will update automatically as any additional data is loaded.

The script used to perform the server-side processing for this table is shown below. Please note that this is just an example script using PHP. Server-side processing scripts can be written in any language, using the protocol described in the DataTables documentation.