Your Quick Guide to Using JSON in Python

In partnership with

In today’s world of APIs, web apps, and data-driven projects, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is everywhere. And if you’re working in Python, knowing how to handle JSON is a must.

This week, we’re giving you a quick, practical guide to working with JSON in Python. You’ll see how to read, write, parse, and convert JSON data with just a few simple lines of code.

How JSON Works in Python

Python has a built-in json module that makes it easy to work with JSON data. You can think of JSON as a lightweight format for storing and transporting data, similar to Python dictionaries and lists.

Here’s how to load a JSON string into a Python object:

import json

json_data = '{"name": "Gandalf", "age": 42}'
python_obj = json.loads(json_data)

print(python_obj["name"])  # Output: Gandalf

And here’s how to write a Python object to a JSON string:

python_obj = {"name": "Gandalf", "age": 30}
json_data = json.dumps(python_obj)

print(json_data)

If you are working with files instead of strings, you can use json.load() and json.dump():

Reading a JSON file:

with open('data.json', 'r') as file:
    data = json.load(file)

print(data)

Writing a JSON file:

with open('data.json', 'w') as file:
    json.dump(python_obj, file, indent=4)

Indentation helps keep your JSON files human-readable. This might seem like a small skill, but that’s one of the reasons it’s vital. Learning to handle JSON in Python is a small investment that pays off fast. Whether you are building APIs, processing data, or connecting with web services, JSON is everywhere.

And Python makes it easy to work with.

Common Use Cases:

• Parsing API responses

• Saving settings or preferences

• Reading configuration files

• Building data-driven applications

• Storing lightweight structured data

Partner Messages

He’s already IPO’d once – this time’s different

Spencer Rascoff grew Zillow from seed to IPO. But everyday investors couldn’t join until then, missing early gains. So he did things differently with Pacaso. They’ve made $110M+ in gross profits disrupting a $1.3T market. And after reserving the Nasdaq ticker PCSO, you can join for $2.80/share until 5/29.

Invest today for $2.80/share.

_{This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.}

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

Related Reading