How to Read JSON File in Python: Simple Guide

To read a JSON file in Python, use the json module. Open the file with open(), then load its content using json.load() to get a Python dictionary or list.

Syntax

Use the open() function to open the JSON file in read mode. Then use json.load() to convert the JSON content into a Python object like a dictionary or list.

• open('filename.json', 'r'): Opens the file for reading.
• json.load(file_object): Reads and parses JSON data from the file.

python

import json

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

Example

This example shows how to read a JSON file named data.json and print its content as a Python dictionary.

python

import json

# Assume data.json contains: {"name": "Alice", "age": 30, "city": "New York"}

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

print(data)
print(f"Name: {data['name']}")

Output

{'name': 'Alice', 'age': 30, 'city': 'New York'}
Name: Alice

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when reading JSON files include:

• Forgetting to open the file in read mode ('r').
• Using json.loads() instead of json.load() when reading from a file (the former is for strings).
• Not handling exceptions if the file is missing or contains invalid JSON.

python

import json

# Wrong: using json.loads() with a file object
with open('data.json', 'r') as file:
    # This will raise an error
    # data = json.loads(file.read())
    pass

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

Quick Reference

Step	Code	Description
1	import json	Import the JSON module
2	with open('file.json', 'r') as f:	Open JSON file in read mode
3	data = json.load(f)	Load JSON content into Python object
4	print(data)	Use the data as a Python dictionary or list

Key Takeaways

Use json.load() to read JSON data directly from a file object.

Always open the JSON file in read mode ('r') before loading.

json.loads() is for JSON strings, not files.

Handle exceptions for missing files or invalid JSON to avoid crashes.

The loaded JSON becomes a Python dictionary or list for easy use.