Is there anyway to use JSON-LD Schema not inlined - seo

Question

Is there anyway to use JSON-LD without including the script inline in the HTML, but still get Google (& other) spiders to find it? Looking around I've seen some conflicting information.
If this was the JSON-LD file:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"#context" : "http://schema.org",
"#type" : "WebSite",
"name" : "Example Site",
"alternateName" : "example",
"description" : "Welcome to this WebSite",
"headline" : "Welcome to Website",
"logo" : "https://example.com/public/images/logo.png",
"url" : "https://example.com/"
}
</script>
And I have this in the head of the HTML:
<script src="/public/json-ld.json" type="application/ld+json"></script>
EDIT: I've also tried:
<link href="/public/json-ld.json" rel="alternate" type="application/ld+" />
Google Spiders seem to miss it and so does the testing tool unless I point it directly at the file. I'm trying to work around unsafe-inline in the CSP. And the only thing I can find is this, which would work in Chrome but don't want to be firing console errors on every other browser. Plus, I just like the idea of Schema.org data being abstracted out of the page structure. Would adding the JSON-LD to the sitemap for Google Webmaster Tools help?
Apologies, total noob to JSON-lD and keep ending up in email documentation (this would be for a site) or old documentation.

Answer 1

True, it can not be made external and it is not supported inline, but you can still achieve what you want by injecting it into the DOM via a JavaScript file.
Note: I am using an array for neatness so I can segment all the structured data elements and add an infinite amount of them. I have a more complicated version of this code on my websites and actually have an external server side rendered file masquerading as a JavaScript file.
An yes Google search bot does understand it. May take days for it to register and using Webmaster tools to force a re-crawl does not seem to force a refresh of JSON-LD data - seems like you just have to wait.
var structuredData = {
schema: {
corporation: {
'#context': 'http://schema.org',
'#type': 'Corporation',
'name': 'Acme',
'url': 'https://acme.com',
'contactPoint':
{
'#type': 'ContactPoint',
'telephone': '[phone]',
'contactType': 'customer service',
'areaServed': 'US'
}
},
service: {
'#context': 'http://schema.org/',
'#type': 'Service',
'name': 'Code optimization',
'serviceOutput' : 'Externalized json',
'description': 'Inline json to externalized json'
},
},
init: function () {
var g = [];
var sd = structuredData;
g.push(sd.schema.corporation);
g.push(sd.schema.service);
//etc.
var o = document.createElement('script');
o.type = 'application/ld+json';
o.innerHTML = JSON.stringify(g);
var d = document; (d.head || d.body).appendChild(o);
}
}
structuredData.init();