Difference Between json.load() and json.loads() Python (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 3 Jul, 2025

This article discusses the differences between two important methods: json.load() and json.loads(). Both are used to convert JSON data into Python objects, but they are used in different contexts.

json.load()

**json.load() takes a file object and returns the json object. It is used to read JSON encoded data from a file and convert it into a Python dictionary and deserialize a file itself i.e. it accepts a file object.

Syntax

json.load(_fp, _cls=None, _object_hook=None, _parse_float=None, _parse_int=None, _parse_constant=None, _object_pairs_hook=None, _**kw)

**Parameters:

• **fp: The file pointer from which to read the JSON data.
• **object_hook: A function that customizes the conversion of JSON objects to Python objects.
• **parse_float: A function that converts JSON float values.
• **parse_int: A function that converts JSON integer values.
• **object_pairs_hook: A function that converts JSON objects to an ordered dictionary.

**Example: First creating the json file:

Python `

import json

data = { "name": "Satyam kumar", "place": "patna", "skills": [ "Raspberry pi", "Machine Learning", "Web Development" ], "email": "xyz@gmail.com", "projects": [ "Python Data Mining", "Python Data Science" ] } with open( "data_file.json" , "w" ) as write: json.dump( data , write )

`

**Output:

data_file.json

After, creating json file, let's use json.load():

Python `

with open("data_file.json", "r") as read_content: print(json.load(read_content))

`

**Output:

{'name': 'Satyam kumar', 'place': 'patna', 'skills': ['Raspberry pi', 'Machine Learning', 'Web Development'],
'email': 'xyz@gmail.com', 'projects': ['Python Data Mining', 'Python Data Science']}

json.loads()

**json.loads() method can be used to parse a valid JSON string and convert it into a Python Dictionary. It is mainly used for deserializing native string, byte, or byte array which consists of JSON data into Python Dictionary.

Syntax

json.loads(s, encoding=None, cls=None, object_hook=None, parse_float=None, parse_int=None, parse_constant=None, object_pairs_hook=None, **kw)

**Parameters:

• **s: The string containing the JSON data to be parsed.
• **object_hook: A function that customizes the conversion of JSON objects to Python objects.
• **parse_float: A function that converts JSON float values.
• **parse_int: A function that converts JSON integer values.
• **object_pairs_hook: A function that converts JSON objects to an ordered dictionary.

**Example: Let's parse a JSON string using json.loads():

Python `

import json

JSON string:

data = """{ "Name": "Jennifer Smith", "Contact Number": 7867567898, "Email": "jen123@gmail.com", "Hobbies":["Reading", "Sketching", "Horse Riding"] }"""

parse data:

res = json.loads( data )

the result is a Python dictionary:

print( res )

`

**Output:

{

'Name': 'Jennifer Smith',

'Contact Number': 7867567898,

'Email': 'jen123@gmail.com',

'Hobbies': ['Reading', 'Sketching', 'Horse Riding']

}