Easy JSON

Working with JSON files is common when storing application settings, configuration data, or other structured information. 'easy_json' provides beginner-friendly helpers that make reading, updating, and formatting JSON files simple and easy to understand.

A small real-world example

Imagine you're working with a configuration file for an application. You want to read the current settings, update the theme, and print the updated configuration in an easy-to-read format.

Suppose config.json contains:

{
  "name": "My App",
  "theme": "light"
}

You can update and display the configuration like this:

from py-simple import open_json, update_json, pretty_json

config=open_json("config.json")
print("Current theme: ", config["theme"])

update_json("config.json", {"theme": "dark"})

updated_config=open_json("config.json")
print(pretty_json(data=updated_config))

Example output:

Current theme: light
{
  "name": "My App",
  "theme": "dark"
}

What happened?

open_json() reads the contents of config.json and returns them as a dictionary.

update_json() updates the existing "theme" value from "light" to "dark" while keeping the other settings unchanged.

pretty_json() formats the updated configuration as an indented JSON string, making it easier to read.

Why use these helpers?

Instead of manually opening JSON files, updating dictionaries, saving changes, and formatting the output yourself, you can use a few simple helper functions:

config = open_json("config.json")
update_json("config.json", {"theme": "dark"})
config = open_json("config.json")
print(pretty_json(data=config))

These helpers keep common JSON file operations simple, readable, and beginner-friendly while reducing repetitive code.