jsop 0.2.1

A dbm-based time-efficient persistence for large amount of JSON-style data

# JSOP - JSON-Style Object Persistence

**JSOP** is a python module that provides a DBM-based time-efficient persistence for JSON-style data.

It can be used instead of JSON where the amount of data makes the I/O operartions too slow. Also, it is designed to enable easy migration of data in existing applications, with minimal code changes.

## Installation

```bash
pip install jsop
```

## Quickstart Guide

Create a new JSOP file:

```python
# 'data' is any JSON-encodable data.

import jsop

jsop.JSOP("/path/to/file").dump(data)
```


Read and write:

```python
with jsop.JSOP("/path/to/file") as data:
name = data["name"]
data["age"] = 30
for friend in data["friends"]:
print(friend["name"])
```

## Supported Operations

You can store any JSON-encodable data with JSOP using simple assignment. For example:

```python
path = "/path/to/file"

jsop.JSOP(path).dump({})

with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
data["string"] = "Hello, World!"
data["boolean"] = True
data["map"] = {"a": 1, "b": 2, "c": 3}
data["map"]["d"] = 4
data["map"]["array"] = [5,6,7]
```

When you retrieve data of primitive types, you just get the corresponding python type:

```python
with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
my_string = data["string"]
# type(my_string) is str

my_int = data["map"]["c"]
# type(my_int) is int
```

However, when you retrieve a map (dictionary) or an array (list), you get special objects, named *JDict* and *JList*, respectively.

With *JDict*, you can do most of the things you can do with a python *dict*:

```python
with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
my_map = data["map"]
# type(my_map) is JDict

a = my_map["a"] # item access
my_map["b"] = 3 # item assignment
del my_map["c"] # item removal
flag = ("d" in my_map) # using the "in" operator
length = len(my_map) # getting map's size
keys = my_map.keys() # getting list of keys
for key in my_map:
pass # iteration over keys
my_map.clear() # removing all keys from map
```

Also, you can convert the map to a regular python *dict*, by using the *collect()* method:

```python
with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
my_map = data["map"].collect()
# type(my_map) is dict

my_map["e"] = 5

data["map"] = my_map
```

Note that like a JSON map, the keys in a JSOP map are always strings. If a different object is given as a key, it is converted to a string.

The *JList* object supports significantly less operations than a python *list*:

```python
with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
my_array = data["map"]["array"]
# type(my_array) is JList

for item in my_array:
pass # iteration
my_array.append(8) # adding an item
my_array.remove(8) # removing an item (note: may be slow for big lists)
length = len(my_array) # getting array's size
my_array.clear() # removing all items from array
```

Note that indexing is not supported. If you need a list with random access, consider using
a map.

Like as in JDict, JList also supports the *collect()* method, that returns a python *list*:

```python
with jsop.JSOP(path) as data:
my_list = data["map"]["array"].collect()
# type(my_list) is list
```