This is all making me think it's time for a broader discussion / PEP:

The future of the JSON module.

*maybe* the way forward is to try to make a new "category killer" JSON lib (or at least a platform for standard protocols). But it also may make sense to start within Python itself -- at least for the protocols.

These are few things that seem to be on the table:

* support for extensions to the JSON standard (JSON5, etc.)

* support for serializing arbitrary precision decimal numbers

* support for allowing custom serializations (i.e. not just what can be serialized, but controlling exactly how)

* a "dunder protocol" for customization

* what role, if any, should the json module have in ensuring only valid JSON is produced?

Maybe this is all opening a big can of worms, but the conversation seems to have strayed widely enough that maybe we should embrace that and try to get a handle on it.

> Originally, oddly, sorry I can't remember where the standard library JSON module came from? Someone donated and relicensed it; IIRC. Is it sinplejson?

This is a good point -- I'm not sure it matters exactly, but it is worth recalling that decisions about eh details (like allowing arbitrary separators) where not necessarily made as part of a careful discussion.

Also -- is there a particular core dev with "ownership" of the json module?

-CHB

Christopher Barker, PhD

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