diff --git a/src/commands/from_json.rs b/src/commands/from_json.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f64fc031a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/from_json.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use crate::object::{Primitive, Value, Dictionary, DataDescriptor};
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+fn convert_json_value_to_nu_value(v: &serde_json::Value) -> Value {
+    match v {
+        serde_json::Value::Null => Value::Primitive(Primitive::String("".to_string())),
+        serde_json::Value::Bool(b) => Value::Primitive(Primitive::Boolean(*b)),
+        serde_json::Value::Number(n) => Value::Primitive(Primitive::Int(n.as_i64().unwrap())),
+        serde_json::Value::String(s) => Value::Primitive(Primitive::String(s.clone())),
+        serde_json::Value::Array(a) => Value::List(a.iter().map(|x| convert_json_value_to_nu_value(x)).collect()),
+        serde_json::Value::Object(o) => {
+            let mut collected = Dictionary::default();
+            for (k, v) in o.iter() {
+                collected.add(DataDescriptor::from(k.clone()), convert_json_value_to_nu_value(v));
+            }
+            Value::Object(collected)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn from_json(args: CommandArgs) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+    let out = args.input;
+    Ok(out
+        .map(|a| match a {
+            Value::Primitive(Primitive::String(s)) => {
+                let v: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&s).unwrap();
+                ReturnValue::Value(convert_json_value_to_nu_value(&v))
+            }
+            _ => ReturnValue::Value(Value::Primitive(Primitive::String("".to_string()))),
+        })
+        .boxed())
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/open.rs b/src/commands/open.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec2b4905d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/open.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+use crate::errors::ShellError;
+use crate::object::{Primitive, Value};
+use crate::prelude::*;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+pub fn open(args: CommandArgs) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+    let cwd = args.env.lock().unwrap().cwd().to_path_buf();
+    let mut full_path = PathBuf::from(cwd);
+    match &args.args[0] {
+        Value::Primitive(Primitive::String(s)) => full_path.push(s),
+        _ => {}
+    }
+
+    let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&full_path).unwrap();
+
+    let mut stream = VecDeque::new();
+    stream.push_back(ReturnValue::Value(Value::Primitive(Primitive::String(contents))));
+
+    Ok(stream.boxed())
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/to_json.rs b/src/commands/to_json.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fa8aadd0a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/to_json.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+use crate::object::{Primitive, Value};
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+pub fn to_json(args: CommandArgs) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
+    let out = args.input;
+    Ok(out
+        .map(|a| ReturnValue::Value(Value::Primitive(Primitive::String(serde_json::to_string(&a).unwrap()))))
+        .boxed())
+}