wp_json_file_decode()

wp_json_file_decode( string $filename, array $options = array() ): mixed

function wp_json_file_decode( $filename, $options = array() ) {
	$result   = null;
	$filename = wp_normalize_path( realpath( $filename ) );

	if ( ! $filename ) {
		wp_trigger_error(
			__FUNCTION__,
			sprintf(
				/* translators: %s: Path to the JSON file. */
				__( "File %s doesn't exist!" ),
				$filename
			)
		);
		return $result;
	}

	$options      = wp_parse_args( $options, array( 'associative' => false ) );
	$decoded_file = json_decode( file_get_contents( $filename ), $options['associative'] );

	if ( JSON_ERROR_NONE !== json_last_error() ) {
		wp_trigger_error(
			__FUNCTION__,
			sprintf(
				/* translators: 1: Path to the JSON file, 2: Error message. */
				__( 'Error when decoding a JSON file at path %1$s: %2$s' ),
				$filename,
				json_last_error_msg()
			)
		);
		return $result;
	}

	return $decoded_file;
}