Expected BEGIN_ARRAY but was BEGIN_OBJECT at line 1 column 2 path $ why does the error occur?

Question

Java

Please help with Retrofit. Why does it give an error?

Expected BEGIN_ARRAY but was BEGIN_OBJECT at line 1 column 2 path $

json piece:

{
  "city": [
    {
      "city_id": "6",
      "country_id": "4",
      "region_id": "5",
      "name": "Балларат"
    },
    {
      "city_id": "7",
      "country_id": "4",
      "region_id": "5",
      "name": "Бендиго"
    },
    {
      "city_id": "8",
      "country_id": "4",
      "region_id": "5",
      "name": "Варрнамбул"
    }
  ]
}

All json
Code:

class Cities {
  @SerializedName("city")
  private List city;
  public List getCity() {
    return city;
  }
}

class CityValue {
  @SerializedName("city_id")
  @Expose
  private String city_id;

  @SerializedName("counter_id")
  @Expose
  private String counter_id;

  @SerializedName("region_id")
  @Expose
  private String region_id;

  @SerializedName("name")
  @Expose
  private String name;
}

There is an array here, what's wrong?

Answer 1

Try to explicitly specify private List<CityValue> city;
Although not 100% sure, you can still try an array and not a list.
By the way, the link to JSON is not opening.

Answer 2

Expected BEGIN_ARRAY but was BEGIN_OBJECT

indicates that an array was expected, but an object was received.
In other words, it was expected List<T>, but the object was received List.
So parametrize the List:

private List<CityValue> city;
public List<CityValue> getCity() {
    return city;
}
public void setCity(List<CityValue> city) {
    this.city = city;
}