Oracle SQL function json_transform, SQL/JSON functions json_query, json_value and json_table, and SQL/JSON condition json_exists accept optional TYPE clauses, which specify whether JSON values are compared strictly with respect to JSON-language type, that is, as if the relevant "only" data-type conversion item methods were applied to the data being compared.

Keyword TYPE is followed, in parentheses, by keyword STRICT or LAX.

• TYPE (LAX) specifies the default behavior (same as no TYPE clause), which is that JSON values can be implicitly interpreted (essentially cast) as values of SQL data types for purposes of comparison. This type-casting is explained in Types in Filter-Condition Comparisons.

  For example, a comparison such as '$.PONumber?(@ > 20) implicitly interprets a PONumber value of "314" as the number 314 (because it is compared with the number 20). That comparison is true, just as if the expression were '$.PONumber?(@.number() > 20)

• TYPE (STRICT) has the same effect as applying "only" item methods.

  For example, '$.PONumber?(@ > 20) behaves as if it were '$.PONumber?(@.numberOnly() > 20). For a PONumber value of "314" the comparison is false, just as if the expression were '$.PONumber?(@.numberOnly() > 20).