Creating a JSON response using Django and Python

Question

I\'m trying to convert a server side Ajax response script into a Django HttpResponse, but apparently it\'s not working.

This is the server-side script:

Answer 1

I usually use a dictionary, not a list to return JSON content.

import json

from django.http import HttpResponse

response_data = {}
response_data['result'] = 'error'
response_data['message'] = 'Some error message'

Pre-Django 1.7 you'd return it like this:

return HttpResponse(json.dumps(response_data), content_type="application/json")

For Django 1.7+, use JsonResponse as shown in this SO answer like so :

from django.http import JsonResponse
return JsonResponse({'foo':'bar'})

Answer 2

I use this, it works fine.

from django.utils import simplejson
from django.http import HttpResponse

def some_view(request):
    to_json = {
        "key1": "value1",
        "key2": "value2"
    }
    return HttpResponse(simplejson.dumps(to_json), mimetype='application/json')

Alternative:

from django.utils import simplejson

class JsonResponse(HttpResponse):
    """
        JSON response
    """
    def __init__(self, content, mimetype='application/json', status=None, content_type=None):
        super(JsonResponse, self).__init__(
            content=simplejson.dumps(content),
            mimetype=mimetype,
            status=status,
            content_type=content_type,
        )

In Django 1.7 JsonResponse objects have been added to the Django framework itself which makes this task even easier:

from django.http import JsonResponse
def some_view(request):
    return JsonResponse({"key": "value"})

Answer 3

Use JsonResponse

from django.http import JsonResponse