Handling the Python TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message
As a developer, you may encounter the Python TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message when trying to serialize your data. This error message pops up when you’re trying to convert a NumPy int64 data type to a JSON string.
JSON strings only allow specific data types, and int64 is not one of them. In this article, we will discuss three ways to fix the TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message.
Converting int64 to a JSON-serializable type
The simplest solution to the TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message is to convert the int64 data type to a JSON-serializable type. One way to do this is by converting the int64 data type to a Python native data type such as an integer using the int() constructor.
import json
import numpy as np
data = np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype=np.int64)
# Convert int64 to int using int()
data = data.tolist()
data = [int(i) for i in data]
# Serialize data to a JSON string
json_data = json.dumps(data)
In the code snippet above, we first convert the NumPy int64 data type to a list of Python native data type using the tolist() method. Next, we use a list comprehension to convert each item in the list to an integer data type using the int() constructor.
Finally, we use the dumps() method from the json module to convert the list to a JSON string.
Creating a custom JSON encoder to handle NumPy objects
Another solution to the TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message is to create a custom JSON encoder that can handle NumPy objects. We can do this by subclassing the JSONEncoder class and overriding the default() method.
The default() method is called whenever the JSONEncoder encounters an unknown data type, and it is responsible for converting the data type to a JSON serializable type.
class NumpyEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
def default(self, obj):
if isinstance(obj, np.ndarray):
return obj.tolist()
return json.JSONEncoder.default(self, obj)
data = np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype=np.int64)
# Serialize data to a JSON string using the custom encoder
json_data = json.dumps(data, cls=NumpyEncoder)
In the code snippet above, we create a custom JSON encoder class called NumpyEncoder.
The default() method checks if the input object is a NumPy ndarray and converts it to a list using the tolist() method. The JSONEncoder.default() method is called if the input object is not a NumPy ndarray, and it takes care of serializing all other native Python data types.
Finally, we pass an instance of the NumpyEncoder to the dumps() method to serialize the data using the custom encoder.
Converting int64 to a Python native data type using the astype() method
A third way to fix the TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message is to use the astype() method from the NumPy library to convert the data type to a Python native data type before serializing it to a JSON string.
data = np.array([1, 2, 3], dtype=np.int64)
# Convert int64 to int using astype()
data = data.astype(int)
# Serialize data to a JSON string
json_data = json.dumps(data.tolist())
In the code snippet above, we use the astype() method to convert the data type from int64 to int.
This method creates a new NumPy array with the specified data type. We then use the tolist() method to convert the NumPy array to a Python list.
Finally, we use the dumps() method to serialize the list to a JSON string.
Explaining JSON dump() and dumps() methods and their compatibility with Python native data types
Before we dive into the JSON dump() and dumps() methods, let’s explain what JSON is. JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation, which is a lightweight data interchange format that is easy to read and write.
JSON strings can represent numbers, strings, arrays, objects, and null values. JSON is a language-independent format, which means it can be used to serialize and deserialize data between different programming languages.
JSON dump() and dumps() methods are used to convert Python objects to a JSON string. The dump() method writes the JSON string to a file, while the dumps() method returns the JSON string as a string.
data = {
"name": "John Doe",
"age": 30,
"city": "New York"
}
# Write data to a file as a JSON string using dump()
with open("data.json", "w") as f:
json.dump(data, f)
# Serialize data to a JSON string using dumps()
json_data = json.dumps(data)
In the code snippet above, we have a Python dictionary called data. To serialize the dictionary to a JSON string, we use the json.dump() method to write the JSON string to a file called data.json.
We pass the dictionary and the file handle to the dump() method. The dumps() method works the same way, but instead of writing the JSON string to a file, it returns the string.
JSON-serializable data types are data types that can be represented as a JSON string without any additional steps. Python native data types such as dictionaries, lists, strings, numbers, booleans, and null values are all JSON-serializable.
However, certain Python data types such as sets, complex numbers, and NumPy int64 data types are not JSON-serializable. Unfortunately, the JSON module in Python does not support the NumPy int64 data type by default.
To serialize NumPy arrays that contain int64 data types, we need to use one of the methods we discussed earlier. In conclusion, understanding how to handle the TypeError: Object of type ‘int64’ is not JSON serializable error message and how to use the JSON dump() and dumps() methods to serialize Python objects to a JSON string is essential for any developer who is working with JSON-formatted data.
By using the solutions discussed in this article, you can ensure that your data is properly serialized and can be shared with other developers in JSON format.
Converting NumPy objects into serializable objects
NumPy is a powerful Python library that provides support for large, multi-dimensional arrays and matrices. NumPy arrays can hold any arbitrary data types, including user-defined ones, and are widely used in scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning applications.
However, NumPy arrays are not serializable by default. When trying to serialize a NumPy array, you may receive an error message about unsupported data types.
In this article, we’ll discuss several strategies to convert NumPy objects into serializable objects, which can then be saved in formats such as JSON or CSV.
Creating a custom NpEncoder class
One approach to serializing NumPy arrays is to create a custom encoder class that extends the JSONEncoder class and overrides the default() method. The default() method provides a hook for converting non-serializable objects into serializable objects.
import numpy as np
import json
class NpEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
def default(self, obj):
if isinstance(obj, np.ndarray):
return obj.tolist()
return super().default(obj)
data = np.array([1, 2, 3])
json_data = json.dumps(data, cls=NpEncoder)
In the above code snippet, we create a custom encoder class called NpEncoder that checks if the input object is a NumPy array. If it is, we convert it to a list using the tolist() method before returning it.
Otherwise, we call the default() method of the super class to handle other Python objects.
Using default() method to handle serialization of NumPy objects
An alternative approach to the custom encoder class is to directly override the default() method of the JSONEncoder class with a function that can handle NumPy arrays.
import numpy as np
import json
def np_encoder(obj):
if isinstance(obj, np.ndarray):
return obj.tolist()
raise TypeError(f"Object of type {type(obj)} is not JSON serializable")
data = np.array([1, 2, 3])
json_data = json.dumps(data, default=np_encoder)
In the above code snippet, we define a function called np_encoder() that checks if the input object is a NumPy array. If it is, we convert it to a list using the tolist() method before returning it.
Otherwise, we raise a TypeError.
Checking for NumPy data type and converting to compatible Python data type
Yet another approach to serializing NumPy arrays is to first check for NumPy data types and convert them to Python data types that are compatible with serialization.
import numpy as np
import json
def convert_to_custom_type(obj):
if isinstance(obj, np.ndarray):
return obj.tolist()
elif isinstance(obj, np.generic):
return obj.item()
elif isinstance(obj, bytes):
return obj.decode("utf-8")
elif isinstance(obj, np.integer):
return int(obj)
elif isinstance(obj, np.floating):
return float(obj)
else:
raise TypeError(f"Object of type {type(obj)} is not JSON serializable")
data = np.array([1, 2, 3])
json_data = json.dumps(data, default=convert_to_custom_type)
In the above code snippet, we define a function called convert_to_custom_type() that checks for NumPy data types and converts them to compatible Python data types. For example, we convert NumPy integers to Python integers using the int() function and NumPy floating-point numbers to Python floating-point numbers using the float() function.
The function also handles other non-serializable objects by raising a TypeError.
Conclusion
In conclusion, NumPy is a powerful library for working with multi-dimensional arrays, but its data types are not always serializable. This can be a problem if you need to save or transmit NumPy data in a format such as JSON or CSV.
However, there are several approaches to convert NumPy objects into serializable objects, including creating a custom encoder class, using the built-in default() method of the JSONEncoder class, or checking for NumPy data types and converting them to compatible Python data types. By employing these strategies, you can ensure that your NumPy data can be properly saved and shared between different applications.
In this article, we explored various strategies for converting NumPy objects into serializable objects that can be saved in formats such as JSON or CSV. We discussed three approaches: creating a custom encoder class, using the default() method of the JSONEncoder class, and checking for NumPy data types and converting them to compatible Python data types.
By using these strategies, we can ensure that our NumPy data is properly saved and shared between different applications. The ability to properly serialize NumPy objects is important for developers working with scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning applications.
By employing the strategies we discussed, developers can ensure seamless data exchange and proper data preservation.