Fun with Python and Gzipped files! Works on Python 2.7.x.

python.Files.Gzip.py

import json
import gzip
import logging
import os


logger = logging.getLogger(os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(__file__))[0])


def write_gzip_file(path, data, overwrite_existing=False, compression_level=9):
    """Write a compressed gzip file.

    :param path: Relative, or absolute, path of the file to write.
    :type path: str or unicode
    :param data: Data to write.
    :type data: *
    :param overwrite_existing: (optional) If the file, overwrite it if set to True otherwise do not write.
                               (default: False)
    :param compression_level: (optional) Level of compression for gzip. (default: 9)
    :type compression_level: int
    :return: True if successful else False.
    :rtype: bool
    """
    path = os.path.abspath(path)

    root_dir = os.path.split(path)[0]
    if not os.path.exists(root_dir):
        os.makedirs(root_dir)

    if not path.lower().endswith('.gz'):
        path = '{}.gz'.format(path)

    if os.path.exists(path):
        logger.warning('Output file already exists.')
        if not overwrite_existing:
            logger.warning('Overwrite existing is disabled.')
            return False

    try:
        with gzip.open(path, 'w', compresslevel=compression_level) as f:
            f.write(data)
        logger.info('Successfully wrote "{}"'.format(os.path.split(path)[1]))
    except Exception as err:
        logger.exception(err)
        return False
    return True


def read_gzip_file(path, parse_json=False):
    """Read a compressed gzip file.

    :param path: Relative, or absolute, path of the file to write.
    :type path: str or unicode
    :param parse_json: (optional) Whether or not to try to parse the JSON data.
    :type parse_json: bool
    :return: Data from the file or None
    :rtype: *
    """
    # logger = logging.getLogger('read_gzip_file')

    path = os.path.abspath(path)

    # if not os.path.exists(path):
    #     logger.critical('File not found: "{}"'.format(path))
    #     return None

    try:
        with gzip.open(path, 'rb') as f:
            data = f.read().strip()
            if parse_json:
                return json.loads(data)
            return data
    except IOError:
        if not path.lower().endswith('.gz'):
            path = '{}.gz'.format(path)
        return read_gzip_file(path, parse_json=parse_json)
    except Exception as err:
        logger.exception(err)
    return None