How can I parse read and use JSON in Python?
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Introduction
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a popular data interchange format often used in web applications for transmitting data between a server and a client. JSON is text-based, lightweight, easy to read, and write for humans and machines. In Python, working with JSON is straightforward thanks to the built-in `json` module, which provides essential methods for parsing (reading) and using JSON data.
JSON in Python
The `json` module in Python offers two primary operations: encoding (converting Python objects to JSON) and decoding (parsing JSON back into Python objects). The key functions provided by this module include:
- `json.load()`: Parses JSON data from a file-like object.
- `json.loads()`: Parses JSON from a string.
- `json.dump()`: Writes Python objects to a file in JSON format.
- `json.dumps()`: Converts Python objects to a JSON formatted string.
In this article, we will focus on parsing and using JSON data.
Parsing JSON
Using `json.loads()`
The `json.loads()` function is used to parse JSON strings. If you already have a JSON string in your code, or if you receive one from an external source (like an API), this function helps you convert it into a Python object (typically a dictionary).
Example
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