How to Read a JSON File into a Dictionary in Python

import json
from pathlib import Path

def read_json_file(filepath: str) -> dict:
    """Read a JSON file and return its contents as a dictionary."""
    path = Path(filepath)
    with path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
        data = json.load(f)
    return data

if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Create a sample JSON file to demonstrate the function
    sample_path = Path("sample_data.json")
    sample_data = {
        "name": "PythonSkillset",
        "version": 1.0,
        "topics": ["json", "file-io", "dictionaries"],
        "active": True
    }
    sample_path.write_text(json.dumps(sample_data, indent=2), encoding="utf-8")
    
    # Read the JSON file back into a dictionary
    result = read_json_file(sample_path)
    print(result)
    print(f"Type: {type(result).__name__}")
    
    # Clean up the sample file
    sample_path.unlink()