Update a JSON file with Python and keep the original format

Question

I have a Python script that updates some value of a JSON file, and the original format of my JSON looks like:

To edit the value I use this code:

 import json

 status_wifi  = "ok" 

 with open("config_wifi.json", "r") as jsonFile:
    data = json.load(jsonFile)
    data['wifi_session']['status'] = status_wifi 

 with open("config_wifi.json", "w") as jsonFile:
  json.dump(data, jsonFile)

But when the values are updated, the format of my JSON is compressed like this:

I want the JSON file to keep its original format with all spaces and line breaks. How could I do that?

Did you read https://docs.python.org/3/library/json.html#json.dump? — jonrsharpe, Jan 24 '20 at 08:09
Does this answer your question? [Pretty-Print JSON Data to a File using Python](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9170288/pretty-print-json-data-to-a-file-using-python) — jonrsharpe, Jan 24 '20 at 08:14

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 24 '20 at 09:20

2

Try json.dumps(json_obj, indent=4)

Example:

import json

status_wifi  = "ok" 

with open("config_wifi.json", "r") as jsonFile:
    data = json.load(jsonFile)
    data['wifi_session']['status'] = status_wifi 

with open("config_wifi.json", "w") as jsonFile:
    json.dump(json.dumps(data, indent=4), jsonFile)

The indent is the number of spaces for a tab. If you set this parameter, the JSON will be formatted.

You can read more about it here.

edited Jan 24 '20 at 09:20

jonrsharpe

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answered Jan 24 '20 at 08:18

Dennis Rieke

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Please add some context as to why this works. Especially since dropping that line of code in won't work. – Michael Jan 24 '20 at 08:25
I guess it's better now. – Dennis Rieke Jan 24 '20 at 09:05

Update a JSON file with Python and keep the original format

1 Answers1