How to Store and Retrieve Python Dictionaries: JSON vs. Pickle?

Storing Python Dictionaries

Preserving dictionaries in files for future retrieval is a practical need for various applications. This article explores two methods for storing and loading dictionaries: JSON and pickle.

JSON

JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation and is a popular format for data exchange. The json module in Python provides methods for converting Python objects, including dictionaries, to JSON strings and vice versa.

To save a dictionary to a JSON file, use json.dump() with the file object as the first argument:

<code class="python">import json

data = {'key1': "keyinfo", 'key2': "keyinfo2"}

with open('data.json', 'w') as fp:
    json.dump(data, fp)</code>

To load the dictionary back into the program:

<code class="python">with open('data.json', 'r') as fp:
    data = json.load(fp)</code>

JSON allows for additional arguments, such as sort_keys and indent, to control the output format.

Pickle

Pickle is Python's native serialization module. It converts objects, including dictionaries, to a byte stream for storage.

To save a dictionary using pickle:

<code class="python">import pickle

with open('data.p', 'wb') as fp:
    pickle.dump(data, fp, protocol=pickle.HIGHEST_PROTOCOL)</code>

The protocol argument specifies the serialization format.

To load the pickled dictionary:

<code class="python">with open('data.p', 'rb') as fp:
    data = pickle.load(fp)</code>

Both JSON and pickle offer convenient ways to store and retrieve dictionaries in files. Choose the method that best suits your requirements for data exchange or persistence.

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