diff --git a/data/dev/sl-lua-defs.json b/data/dev/sl-lua-defs.json
index 0ff169d..f6c82ad 100644
--- a/data/dev/sl-lua-defs.json
+++ b/data/dev/sl-lua-defs.json
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@
       "name": "numeric",
       "definition": {
         "kind": "union",
-        "types": [
-          "boolean",
-          "number"
-        ]
+        "types": ["boolean", "number"]
       }
     },
     {
@@ -39,24 +36,21 @@
       "name": "DetectedEventName",
       "definition": {
         "kind": "literal-union",
-        "values": [ ]
+        "values": []
       }
     },
     {
       "name": "NonDetectedEventName",
       "definition": {
         "kind": "literal-union",
-        "values": [ ]
+        "values": []
       }
     },
     {
       "name": "EventName",
       "definition": {
         "kind": "union",
-        "types": [
-          "DetectedEventName",
-          "NonDetectedEventName"
-        ]
+        "types": ["DetectedEventName", "NonDetectedEventName"]
       }
     },
     {
@@ -574,7 +568,7 @@
           "type": "boolean"
         }
       ],
-      "methods": [ ]
+      "methods": []
     }
   ],
   "globalVariables": [
@@ -611,10 +605,7 @@
       ],
       "returnType": {
         "kind": "union",
-        "types": [
-          "quaternion",
-          "nil"
-        ]
+        "types": ["quaternion", "nil"]
       },
       "comment": "Creates a quaternion from a string argument in format `<1,1,1,1>`  Invalid strings will return `nil`  #### Caveat  Due to an old error from lsl strings that match upto the closing `>` are interpreted as valid  So `<1,1,1,1` and `<1,1,1,1spoon` are both cast to `<1,1,1,1>`  When testing if a string is a quaternion or a vector, you should test with `toquaternion` first."
     },
@@ -628,10 +619,7 @@
       ],
       "returnType": {
         "kind": "union",
-        "types": [
-          "vector",
-          "nil"
-        ]
+        "types": ["vector", "nil"]
       },
       "comment": "Creates a vector from a string argument in format `<1,1,1>`  Invalid strings will return `nil`  #### Caveat  Due to an old error from lsl strings that match upto the closing `>` are interpreted as valid  So `<1,1,1`, `<1,1,1,1` and `<1,1,1spoon` are all cast to `<1,1,1>`  When testing if a string is a quaternion or a vector, you should test with `toquaternion` first."
     },
@@ -962,6 +950,62 @@
           ],
           "returnType": "string",
           "comment": "encode lua value as json"
+        },
+        {
+          "comment": "decode json string to lua value preserving types",
+          "name": "sldecode",
+          "parameters": [
+            {
+              "name": "json",
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          ],
+          "returnType": {
+            "kind": "union",
+            "types": [
+              "string",
+              "number",
+              "vector",
+              "uuid",
+              "quaternion",
+              "boolean",
+              {
+                "elementType": "",
+                "kind": "array"
+              },
+              "nil"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          "comment": "encode lua value as json preserving types. use tight to encode more compactly",
+          "name": "slencode",
+          "parameters": [
+            {
+              "name": "value",
+              "type": {
+                "kind": "union",
+                "types": [
+                  "string",
+                  "number",
+                  "vector",
+                  "uuid",
+                  "quaternion",
+                  "boolean",
+                  {
+                    "elementType": "",
+                    "kind": "array"
+                  },
+                  "nil"
+                ]
+              }
+            },
+            {
+              "name": "tight",
+              "type": "boolean"
+            }
+          ],
+          "returnType": "string"
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -1016,10 +1060,7 @@
               "name": "value",
               "type": {
                 "kind": "union",
-                "types": [
-                  "string",
-                  "buffer"
-                ]
+                "types": ["string", "buffer"]
               }
             }
           ],
diff --git a/data/syntax_def_default.json b/data/syntax_def_default.json
index ca21e5f..dc45736 100644
--- a/data/syntax_def_default.json
+++ b/data/syntax_def_default.json
@@ -15428,10 +15428,7 @@
         ],
         "returnType": {
           "kind": "union",
-          "types": [
-            "quaternion",
-            "nil"
-          ]
+          "types": ["quaternion", "nil"]
         }
       },
       {
@@ -15445,10 +15442,7 @@
         ],
         "returnType": {
           "kind": "union",
-          "types": [
-            "vector",
-            "nil"
-          ]
+          "types": ["vector", "nil"]
         }
       },
       {
@@ -15808,6 +15802,62 @@
               }
             ],
             "returnType": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "comment": "decode json string to lua value preserving types",
+            "name": "sldecode",
+            "parameters": [
+              {
+                "name": "json",
+                "type": "string"
+              }
+            ],
+            "returnType": {
+              "kind": "union",
+              "types": [
+                "string",
+                "number",
+                "vector",
+                "uuid",
+                "quaternion",
+                "boolean",
+                {
+                  "elementType": "",
+                  "kind": "array"
+                },
+                "nil"
+              ]
+            }
+          },
+          {
+            "comment": "encode lua value as json preserving types. use tight to encode more compactly",
+            "name": "slencode",
+            "parameters": [
+              {
+                "name": "value",
+                "type": {
+                  "kind": "union",
+                  "types": [
+                    "string",
+                    "number",
+                    "vector",
+                    "uuid",
+                    "quaternion",
+                    "boolean",
+                    {
+                      "elementType": "",
+                      "kind": "array"
+                    },
+                    "nil"
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              {
+                "name": "tight",
+                "type": "boolean"
+              }
+            ],
+            "returnType": "string"
           }
         ],
         "name": "lljson",
@@ -15901,10 +15951,7 @@
                 "name": "value",
                 "type": {
                   "kind": "union",
-                  "types": [
-                    "string",
-                    "buffer"
-                  ]
+                  "types": ["string", "buffer"]
                 }
               }
             ],
@@ -16110,20 +16157,14 @@
       {
         "definition": {
           "kind": "union",
-          "types": [
-            "boolean",
-            "number"
-          ]
+          "types": ["boolean", "number"]
         },
         "name": "numeric"
       },
       {
         "definition": {
           "kind": "union",
-          "types": [
-            "string",
-            "uuid"
-          ]
+          "types": ["string", "uuid"]
         },
         "name": "uuid_like"
       },
@@ -16168,10 +16209,7 @@
       {
         "definition": {
           "kind": "union",
-          "types": [
-            "DetectedEventName",
-            "NonDetectedEventName"
-          ]
+          "types": ["DetectedEventName", "NonDetectedEventName"]
         },
         "name": "EventName"
       },