Reading and writing JSON files in Node.js: A complete tutorial

Node.js provides various built-in modules and third-party libraries for efficiently reading and writing JSON files, catering to different dataset sizes and operational needs. The fs module, integral to Node, offers synchronous, asynchronous, and promise-based APIs for file operations, with the callback API being the most performant. For static JSON files, the require function can be used, but it caches the file, making it unsuitable for frequently changing data. Third-party libraries like jsonfile, fs-extra, and bfj offer enhanced capabilities, such as built-in serialization/deserialization and handling large datasets via streams. The article also emphasizes best practices, such as error handling and creating backups, to mitigate data loss risks. For circular references that cause serialization issues, tools like cycle.js can be utilized. The text concludes by highlighting the popularity of JSON for data exchange and the importance of choosing appropriate methods and libraries based on specific use cases and performance considerations.