JSON imports with import attributes are now baseline across all modern browsers, finally solving one of JavaScript's most annoying gaps. You can now import JSON files directly in ES modules without fetch() gymnastics or embedding data in JavaScript files—just use the standard import syntax with a type attribute.

The syntax is exactly what you'd expect: import data from "./config.json" with { type: "json" }. The JSON is parsed automatically and available as a regular JavaScript object, no JSON.parse() required. This works in browsers, bundlers are catching up, and it's part of the official import attributes spec that also enables future import types like CSS modules.

Technical details:

• Type safety via attributes: The with { type: "json" } syntax explicitly declares the import type, preventing accidental execution of non-JavaScript files
• Strict MIME checking: Servers must return proper JSON MIME types (like Content-Type: text/json)—no more treating everything as text/plain
• Build tool friendly: Works with native ES modules and modern bundlers that support import attributes

The win here is simplicity and security. Configuration files, locale data, and static datasets can now be first-class imports without bundler plugins or runtime parsing. It's also more secure—JSON imports can't execute code, and the explicit type declaration prevents confusion about what's being loaded.

For teams tired of wrapping JSON in JavaScript modules or maintaining separate fetch logic for static data, this is the standardization we've been waiting for. Your build configs just got simpler, and your module graphs just got cleaner.