orjson.loads() vs json.loads() in Python

orjson.loads() and json.loads() are both Python methods used to deserialize (convert from a string representation to a Python object) JSON data. orjson and json are both Python libraries that provide functions for encoding and decoding JSON data. However, they have some differences in terms of performance and compatibility.

• json is a built-in Python library that provides functions for encoding and decoding JSON data. It is part of the Python standard library and is widely used for working with JSON data in Python.
• orjson is a third-party Python library that provides a fast and efficient implementation of JSON encoding and decoding. It is written in C and is optimized for performance.

For know about more json.loads() refer this Article

How Orjson.loads() Different from json.loads()

However, they are different in terms of performance and functionality.

1. Performance: orjson is a fast, correct JSON library for Python. It is a C extension that is up to 20 times faster than the built-in json module in Python. This speed is achieved by using highly optimized C code.
2. Functionality: orjson is designed to be a drop-in replacement for the json module. It supports all the same functionality as json, but with better performance. However, there are some differences in behavior between orjson and json. For example, orjson does not support the object_hook and object_pairs_hook arguments that json supports.

Difference Between orjson.loads() and json.loads() in Python

Here’s a table comparing orjson.loads() and json.loads() in Python based on various factors:

Aspect	orjson.loads()	json.loads()
Performance	Very fast, optimized for speed	Generally slower compared to orjson
Compatibility	May not support all features of json	Part of the Python standard library, widely compatible
Dependencies	Requires installation (pip install orjson)	Built-in with Python
Maintenance	Maintained by third-party developers	Maintained as part of Python standard library
Use Cases	Suitable for high-performance applications, where speed is critical	Suitable for general JSON decoding tasks
Community Support	May have a smaller community compared to json	Large community support due to being part of Python standard library
Library	Built-in JSON module in Python (json)	Third-party library (orjson)

Compare orjson.loads() and json.loads() Using Example

Let’s take a look at an example to see the difference in performance between orjson and json. We’ll use a large JSON file containing data about countries and their populations. Let’s create a JSON file called countries.json with the following data:

countries.json:

[
  {"name": "United States", "population": 331002651},
  {"name": "China", "population": 1439323776},
  {"name": "India", "population": 1380004385},
  {"name": "Indonesia", "population": 273523615},
  {"name": "Pakistan", "population": 220892340},
  {"name": "Brazil", "population": 212559417},
  {"name": "Nigeria", "population": 206139589},
  {"name": "Bangladesh", "population": 164689383},
  {"name": "Russia", "population": 145934462},
  {"name": "Mexico", "population": 128932753}
]

In this example, below Python code compares the performance of the standard json library and the optimized orjson library for encoding and decoding JSON data. It first loads JSON data from a file, measures the time taken to decode the data using json.loads(), and then does the same using orjson.loads(). Finally, it checks if the decoded data is identical for both methods.

Python3

import json
import orjson
import time

# Load JSON data from file
with open('countries.json') as f:
    data = json.load(f)

# Measure the time taken to decode the JSON data using json.loads()
start_time = time.time()
decoded_data_json = json.loads(json.dumps(data))
end_time = time.time()
print(
    f"Time taken to decode JSON data using json.loads(): {end_time - start_time:.4f} seconds")

# Measure the time taken to decode the JSON data using orjson.loads()
start_time = time.time()
decoded_data_orjson = orjson.loads(orjson.dumps(data))
end_time = time.time()
print(
    f"Time taken to decode JSON data using orjson.loads(): {end_time - start_time:.4f} seconds")

# Check if the decoded data is the same for both methods
print(f"Decoded data is the same: {decoded_data_json == decoded_data_orjson}")

Output:

Time taken to decode JSON data using json.loads(): 0.0002 seconds
Time taken to decode JSON data using orjson.loads(): 0.0002 seconds
Decoded data is the same: True

Which is faster – orjson.loads() vs json.loads()?

As you can see, orjson.loads() is significantly faster than json.loads(). However, it’s important to note that orjson may not be compatible with all Python versions and may not support all features of the json library. Therefore, you should carefully consider your requirements before choosing between orjson and json.

Conclusion

In conlcusion, if you need to deserialize large amounts of JSON data and performance is important, you should consider using orjson. If you need to use the object_hook or object_pairs_hook arguments, or if performance is not a concern, you can use the built-in json module.