Last updated on May 7, 2024
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Why extract data from JSON files?
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How to extract data from JSON files?
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What are the best practices for extracting data from JSON files?
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How to learn more about extracting data from JSON files?
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Here’s what else to consider
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If you work with data, you probably encounter JSON files frequently. JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation, and it is a popular format for storing and exchanging data on the web. JSON files are easy to read and write for humans and machines, and they can represent complex data structures with arrays, objects, and nested values. But how do you extract the data you need from a JSON file? In this article, you will learn the best way to extract data from a JSON file using data engineering tools and techniques.
Key takeaways from this article
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Use a JSON parser:
By utilizing a JSON parser in a language like Python, you can effortlessly navigate and manipulate data. It's like having a Swiss Army knife for your data extraction tasks — versatile and precise.
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Online conversion tools:
For quick, non-sensitive tasks, online JSON parsers can convert data into table format without installations. It's the digital equivalent of a pop-up help desk for your data dilemmas.
This summary is powered by AI and these experts
- Ankit Yadav 🇮🇳 Top Voice | Consultant at Deloitte🟢 |…
- Bruno Lewin Program Manager | Globalization and…
1 Why extract data from JSON files?
Data engineers often need to extract data from JSON files to transform, clean, and analyze it from various sources. This process enables them to access specific data attributes that are relevant for their analysis or application. Moreover, they can convert JSON data into other formats, such as CSV, XML, or SQL, that are better suited for their data pipeline or database. Furthermore, they can perform operations on JSON data, such as filtering, sorting, aggregating, or joining, to create new insights or features. Finally, they can validate and enrich JSON data by checking for errors, missing values, or duplicates and adding metadata or annotations.
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- Ankit Yadav 🇮🇳 Top Voice | Consultant at Deloitte🟢 | Data Engineer | Ex-LTTS | 3x Azure Certified | 2x DataBricks Certified |Transforming Data into Insights for Impact 💡
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Extracting data from JSON files is crucial for leveraging the structured information stored in this widely used format. - It enables data integration, analysis, transformation, and facilitates the seamless flow of data through various stages of a data processing pipeline.- JSON data may need to be transformed into a different format for specific use cases.- Extracting JSON data allows data engineers to convert it into formats like CSV, XML, or SQL, which might be better suited for downstream processing or integration with databases.
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- Adrian Brudaru Open source pipelines - dlthub.com
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You can use dlt library to automatically type and flatten json to relational format. This will enable you to have an explicit schema you can explore before extracting your data further. Extracting from unknown json may lead to unforseen errors tied to incorrect types and paths.
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2 How to extract data from JSON files?
When it comes to extracting data from JSON files, there are various approaches you can take depending on your preferences, skills, and tools. For instance, you can use a JSON parser or library in your programming language of choice, like Python or Java. Alternatively, you can employ a command-line tool or script such as jq to quickly and easily filter, query, or transform JSON data. Additionally, you can use a graphical user interface (GUI) tool or application like Postman to visually explore, edit, and extract data from JSON files. Whichever method you choose, it can help you load, parse, and manipulate JSON data in your code and export it to other formats or destinations.
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- Bruno Lewin Program Manager | Globalization and Localization expert | Maker | Hardware geek
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Good call out of the case where people need to read JSON in a non-programmatic way. Many online tools provide JSON parsing and conversion into other formats including display in table format without the need to install tools. Handy for one off jobs on non-sensitive data.
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- Ankit Yadav 🇮🇳 Top Voice | Consultant at Deloitte🟢 | Data Engineer | Ex-LTTS | 3x Azure Certified | 2x DataBricks Certified |Transforming Data into Insights for Impact 💡
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According to my experience the extraction of JSON data depends on the structure of JSON file.To efficiently extract data from a JSON file, a crucial step involves understanding its specific structure or schema. - Python has a built-in json module that allows you to work with JSON data.##Code For Better Understanding- import json- with open('your_file.json', 'r') as file: - data = json.load(file)- df = pd.read_json('your_file.json')
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3 What are the best practices for extracting data from JSON files?
Extracting data from JSON files can be easy or challenging, depending on the size, complexity, and quality of the JSON data. To make the process smoother and more efficient, it's best to validate the JSON data before extraction using a JSON validator tool or function. This can help you avoid errors or unexpected results. Additionally, you should use a schema or metadata to understand the JSON data structure and content. This can help you define the data types, formats, and constraints of the JSON data elements or attributes. Furthermore, when choosing how to extract data from JSON files, you should consider the trade-offs between speed, simplicity, and flexibility. For example, if you're dealing with a large or complex JSON file, a programming language or command-line tool might be most efficient. On the other hand, if it's a small or simple JSON file, a GUI tool or application may be best.
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- Ankit Yadav 🇮🇳 Top Voice | Consultant at Deloitte🟢 | Data Engineer | Ex-LTTS | 3x Azure Certified | 2x DataBricks Certified |Transforming Data into Insights for Impact 💡
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According to my experience the spark is best practices for extracting data from JSON files.- Understand the JSON Schema: Before extracting data, thoroughly understand the structure of the JSON file.Here is pyspark code to extracting data from JSON files:1). Initialize PySpark:from pyspark.sql import SparkSessionspark = SparkSession.builder.appName("JSONDataExtraction").getOrCreate()2). Read JSON File:json_file_path = 'your_file.json'df = spark.read.json(json_file_path)3).View Schema and Data:df.printSchema()4). Extract Specific Columns:- selected_columns = df.select("column1", "column2")- filtered_data = df.filter(df["column1"] > 100)
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- Bruno Lewin Program Manager | Globalization and Localization expert | Maker | Hardware geek
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Some other considerations:- is the extraction a one-off thing? If so, the various interactive techniques outlined above can work great. If you’re looking at repeating work, invest in automating the process - many products allow for pre-processing data for import- security: JSON from an untrusted source could be an attack vector
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4 How to learn more about extracting data from JSON files?
Learning how to extract data from JSON files is an essential skill for data engineers, as it can help them work with complex and dynamic data sources. To get started, you should read the official JSON documentation and specification to understand the basics of the JSON data format and syntax. Additionally, you can explore the various JSON tools and libraries available for your programming language or platform of choice, and try them out with some sample JSON data. Furthermore, you can follow online tutorials or courses that teach how to extract data from JSON files using different tools or methods, and practice with real-world examples or projects. Finally, joining online communities or forums where you can ask questions, share tips, or get feedback on your JSON data extraction challenges or solutions is also beneficial.
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5 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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