JSON Response parse error from controller

Question

Magento 1 - I keep getting a parse error. I can't figure out where my syntax is wrong.

$this->getResponse()->setHeader('Content-type', 'application/json');
$this->getResponse()->setBody(json_encode({"user": true}));

This is my ajax request:

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
            <script type="text/javascript">
                $(document).ready(function(){
                    $(".emailfocusout").focusout(function(){
                        var email = $('.emailfocusout').val();
                        console.log('EMAIL: ', email);
                        $.ajax({
                            url: '/checkout/Email/Email/email/' + email,
                            type: 'POST',
                            contentType: 'application/json',
                            success: function(data) {
                                console.log('SUCCESS: ', data);
                            },
                            error: function(data) {
                                console.log('ERROR: ', data);
                            },
                        });
                    });
                });
            </script>

Answer 1

It throws an error because your syntax seems wrong, tries with below syntax

$result = ['user'=>true];

$this->getResponse()->setBody(json_encode($result));

Also, I would suggest you to use core Magento function rather then core PHP function,

$this->getResponse()->setBody(Mage::helper('core')->jsonEncode($result));