How to Pretty Print JSON in Python Without Backslashes

Learn how to format and display JSON data in Python without unwanted backslashes. A step-by-step guide for effective JSON handling!
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Pretty print JSON in Python without backslashes

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Pretty Print JSON in Python Without Backslashes

If you've ever worked with JSON data in Python, you may have come across the challenge of formatting this data for better readability. When parsing JSON objects, especially those extracted from HTML, you might notice that they appear minified and packed into a single line. To make the JSON more human-friendly, we typically want to pretty print it. However, doing so can lead to a common issue: extra backslashes cluttering the output.

The Problem

Consider the following scenario: You extract JSON data embedded in an HTML <script> tag. The code snippet below demonstrates how to retrieve the JSON data using BeautifulSoup.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

When you run this code, the output is a single line of minified JSON:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, this leads to a frustrating output filled with backslashes, as it tries to escape the serialized JSON string, resulting in:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Solution

The root of the problem lies in the way you're handling the JSON string. To pretty print the JSON without the backslashes, you'll need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Extract the JSON String

When you fetch the JSON data from the script tag, you're currently working with a string. The goal is to convert it into a Python object for manipulation.

Step 2: Load the JSON Data

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Pretty Print the JSON

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Complete Code Example

Here’s how all of this comes together in one succinct code block:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Result

When you run this code, the output will be:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This formatted output is much easier to read and understand compared to its minified counterpart.

Conclusion

Pretty printing JSON in Python can be straightforward when you follow the correct approach. By first converting the JSON string into a Python object, you can easily format it without any extra backslashes. Just remember this method for cleaner, more readable JSON data in your future projects!