Prettify JSON-y looking things locally

prettify_json.py

import ast
import json
import sys

def parse_nested_json(obj):
    """Recursively parse any string values that are valid JSON into objects."""
    if isinstance(obj, dict):
        return {k: parse_nested_json(v) for k, v in obj.items()}
    elif isinstance(obj, list):
        return [parse_nested_json(i) for i in obj]
    elif isinstance(obj, str):
        try:
            parsed = json.loads(obj)
            return parse_nested_json(parsed)  # Recurse if nested
        except json.JSONDecodeError:
            return obj  # Not JSON, leave as string
    else:
        return obj

def parse_relaxed_json(input_path, output_path=None, indent=4, sort_keys=False):
    try:
        with open(input_path, 'r') as f:
            data_str = f.read()
            data = ast.literal_eval(data_str)  # Parses with single quotes allowed
        
        # Recursively parse nested JSON strings
        expanded_data = parse_nested_json(data)
        
        pretty_json = json.dumps(expanded_data, indent=indent, sort_keys=sort_keys)
        
        if output_path:
            with open(output_path, 'w') as f:
                f.write(pretty_json)
            print(f"Prettified JSON saved to {output_path}")
        else:
            print(pretty_json)
    except SyntaxError as e:
        print(f"Error: Invalid syntax for literal eval - {e}")
    except ValueError as e:
        print(f"Error: Malformed data - {e}")
    except FileNotFoundError:
        print(f"Error: File '{input_path}' not found")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
        print("Usage: python parse_relaxed_json.py input.json [output.json]")
        sys.exit(1)
    
    input_path = sys.argv[1]
    output_path = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else None
    parse_relaxed_json(input_path, output_path)