diff --git a/lib/feature-flags.js b/lib/feature-flags.js
index 970599f073..f125b40b8c 100644
--- a/lib/feature-flags.js
+++ b/lib/feature-flags.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-const featureFlags = require('../feature-flags')
+const readJsonFile = require('./read-json-file')
+const featureFlags = readJsonFile('./feature-flags.json')
 
 // add feature flags as environment variables
 Object.entries(featureFlags).forEach(([feature, value]) => {
diff --git a/lib/read-json-file.js b/lib/read-json-file.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..353bdd078b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/read-json-file.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
+
+module.exports = function readJsonFile (xpath) {
+  return JSON.parse(
+    fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(
+        process.cwd(),
+        xpath
+      ),
+      'utf8'
+    )
+  )
+}
diff --git a/lib/redirects/precompile.js b/lib/redirects/precompile.js
index 9112bb32f4..cd3b4dfa75 100755
--- a/lib/redirects/precompile.js
+++ b/lib/redirects/precompile.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-const developerRedirects = require('../redirects/static/developer')
+const readJsonFile = require('../read-json-file')
+const developerRedirects = readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/static/developer.json')
 const { latest } = require('../../lib/enterprise-server-releases')
 const latestDevRedirects = {}
 
diff --git a/lib/render-content/plugins/rewrite-local-links.js b/lib/render-content/plugins/rewrite-local-links.js
index 5e121c333f..a357a312ed 100644
--- a/lib/render-content/plugins/rewrite-local-links.js
+++ b/lib/render-content/plugins/rewrite-local-links.js
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 const path = require('path')
 const visit = require('unist-util-visit')
-const externalRedirects = Object.keys(require('../../redirects/external-sites'))
 const { getPathWithoutLanguage, getVersionStringFromPath } = require('../../path-utils')
 const { getNewVersionedPath } = require('../../old-versions-utils')
 const patterns = require('../../patterns')
 const { deprecated, latest } = require('../../enterprise-server-releases')
 const nonEnterpriseDefaultVersion = require('../../non-enterprise-default-version')
 const allVersions = require('../../all-versions')
+const removeFPTFromPath = require('../../remove-fpt-from-path')
 const supportedVersions = Object.keys(allVersions)
 const supportedPlans = Object.values(allVersions).map(v => v.plan)
-const removeFPTFromPath = require('../../remove-fpt-from-path')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../read-json-file')
+const externalRedirects = Object.keys(readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/external-sites.json'))
+
 
 // Matches any <a> tags with an href that starts with `/`
 const matcher = node => (
diff --git a/lib/rewrite-local-links.js b/lib/rewrite-local-links.js
index 947c684684..d30101f28c 100644
--- a/lib/rewrite-local-links.js
+++ b/lib/rewrite-local-links.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const assert = require('assert')
 const path = require('path')
-const externalRedirects = Object.keys(require('./redirects/external-sites'))
 const { getPathWithoutLanguage, getVersionStringFromPath } = require('./path-utils')
 const { getNewVersionedPath } = require('./old-versions-utils')
 const patterns = require('./patterns')
@@ -10,6 +9,8 @@ const allVersions = require('./all-versions')
 const supportedVersions = Object.keys(allVersions)
 const supportedPlans = Object.values(allVersions).map(v => v.plan)
 const removeFPTFromPath = require('./remove-fpt-from-path')
+const readJsonFile = require('./read-json-file')
+const externalRedirects = readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/external-sites.json')
 
 // Content authors write links like `/some/article/path`, but they need to be
 // rewritten on the fly to match the current language and page version
diff --git a/lib/search/algolia-search.js b/lib/search/algolia-search.js
index 4f415a9c5c..4b915a52b9 100644
--- a/lib/search/algolia-search.js
+++ b/lib/search/algolia-search.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const algoliasearch = require('algoliasearch')
 const { get } = require('lodash')
-const { namePrefix } = require('./config')
+const { namePrefix } = require('./config.js')
 
 // https://www.algolia.com/apps/ZI5KPY1HBE/dashboard
 // This API key is public. There's also a private API key for writing to the Algolia API
diff --git a/lib/search/lunr-search.js b/lib/search/lunr-search.js
index 5d01d60faa..8fddc5ff35 100644
--- a/lib/search/lunr-search.js
+++ b/lib/search/lunr-search.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ require('lunr-languages/lunr.pt')(lunr)
 require('lunr-languages/lunr.de')(lunr)
 const { get } = require('lodash')
 const readFileAsync = require('../readfile-async')
-const { namePrefix } = require('./config')
+const { namePrefix } = require('./config.js')
 const { decompress } = require('./compress')
 
 const LUNR_DIR = './indexes'
diff --git a/middleware/archived-enterprise-versions.js b/middleware/archived-enterprise-versions.js
index 3a5cd96f7f..c599a49db1 100644
--- a/middleware/archived-enterprise-versions.js
+++ b/middleware/archived-enterprise-versions.js
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ const patterns = require('../lib/patterns')
 const versionSatisfiesRange = require('../lib/version-satisfies-range')
 const isArchivedVersion = require('../lib/is-archived-version')
 const got = require('got')
-const archvivedRedirects = require('../lib/redirects/static/archived-redirects-from-213-to-217')
-const archivedFrontmatterFallbacks = require('../lib/redirects/static/archived-frontmatter-fallbacks')
+const readJsonFile = require('../lib/read-json-file')
+const archvivedRedirects = readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/static/archived-redirects-from-213-to-217.json')
+const archivedFrontmatterFallbacks = readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/static/archived-frontmatter-fallbacks.json')
 
 // This module handles requests for deprecated GitHub Enterprise versions
 // by routing them to static content in help-docs-archived-enterprise-versions
diff --git a/middleware/context.js b/middleware/context.js
index 42cfcfe168..9eedd09a98 100644
--- a/middleware/context.js
+++ b/middleware/context.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ const {
 } = require('../lib/path-utils')
 const productNames = require('../lib/product-names')
 const warmServer = require('../lib/warm-server')
-const featureFlags = Object.keys(require('../feature-flags'))
+const readJsonFile = require('../lib/read-json-file')
+const featureFlags = Object.keys(readJsonFile('./feature-flags.json'))
 const builtAssets = require('../lib/built-asset-urls')
 const searchVersions = require('../lib/search/versions')
 const nonEnterpriseDefaultVersion = require('../lib/non-enterprise-default-version')
diff --git a/middleware/contextualizers/graphql.js b/middleware/contextualizers/graphql.js
index f07a1506ed..037f4c0a3b 100644
--- a/middleware/contextualizers/graphql.js
+++ b/middleware/contextualizers/graphql.js
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 const fs = require('fs')
 const path = require('path')
-const previews = require('../../lib/graphql/static/previews')
-const upcomingChanges = require('../../lib/graphql/static/upcoming-changes')
-const changelog = require('../../lib/graphql/static/changelog')
-const prerenderedObjects = require('../../lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects')
-const prerenderedInputObjects = require('../../lib/graphql/static/prerendered-input-objects')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const previews = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/previews.json')
+const upcomingChanges = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/upcoming-changes.json')
+const changelog = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/changelog.json')
+const prerenderedObjects = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects.json')
+const prerenderedInputObjects = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/prerendered-input-objects.json')
 const allVersions = require('../../lib/all-versions')
 
 const explorerUrl = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'
diff --git a/middleware/redirects/external.js b/middleware/redirects/external.js
index b6172696e3..71c8344ed2 100644
--- a/middleware/redirects/external.js
+++ b/middleware/redirects/external.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-const externalSites = require('../../lib/redirects/external-sites')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const externalSites = readJsonFile('./lib/redirects/external-sites.json')
 
 // blanket redirects to external websites
 module.exports = function externalRedirects (req, res, next) {
diff --git a/script/graphql/update-files.js b/script/graphql/update-files.js
index 50da5fbbf7..408b45893b 100755
--- a/script/graphql/update-files.js
+++ b/script/graphql/update-files.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const { execSync } = require('child_process')
 const graphqlDataDir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'data/graphql')
 const graphqlStaticDir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'lib/graphql/static')
 const { getContents, listMatchingRefs } = require('../helpers/git-utils')
-const dataFilenames = require('./utils/data-filenames')
+const dataFilenames = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('./utils/data-filenames.json'))
 const allVersions = require('../../lib/all-versions')
 const processPreviews = require('./utils/process-previews')
 const processUpcomingChanges = require('./utils/process-upcoming-changes')
diff --git a/script/graphql/utils/process-schemas.js b/script/graphql/utils/process-schemas.js
index 16fde19ff2..ad55211c6a 100755
--- a/script/graphql/utils/process-schemas.js
+++ b/script/graphql/utils/process-schemas.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 const { sortBy } = require('lodash')
 const { parse, buildASTSchema } = require('graphql')
 const helpers = require('./schema-helpers')
+const fs = require('fs')
 
-const externalScalars = require('../../../lib/graphql/non-schema-scalars')
+const externalScalars = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('../../../lib/graphql/non-schema-scalars.json'))
   .map(scalar => {
     scalar.id = helpers.getId(scalar.name)
     scalar.href = helpers.getFullLink('scalars', scalar.id)
diff --git a/script/graphql/utils/schema-helpers.js b/script/graphql/utils/schema-helpers.js
index 80ed730b7d..21958e3601 100644
--- a/script/graphql/utils/schema-helpers.js
+++ b/script/graphql/utils/schema-helpers.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const renderContent = require('../../../lib/render-content')
-const graphqlTypes = require('../../../lib/graphql/types')
+const fs = require('fs')
+const graphqlTypes = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('../../../lib/graphql/types.json'))
 const {
   isScalarType,
   isObjectType,
diff --git a/tests/browser/browser.js b/tests/browser/browser.js
index 88138c7ed5..6c1b12e809 100644
--- a/tests/browser/browser.js
+++ b/tests/browser/browser.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const path = require('path')
 const sleep = require('await-sleep')
 const { latest } = require('../../lib/enterprise-server-releases')
 const languages = require('../../lib/languages')
-const featureFlags = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), '/feature-flags.json')))
+const featureFlags = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), './feature-flags.json')))
 
 describe('homepage', () => {
   jest.setTimeout(60 * 1000)
diff --git a/tests/content/graphql.js b/tests/content/graphql.js
index 67d2735f6b..3f0a3216a8 100644
--- a/tests/content/graphql.js
+++ b/tests/content/graphql.js
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 const fs = require('fs')
 const path = require('path')
-const previewsJson = require('../../lib/graphql/static/previews')
-const upcomingChangesJson = require('../../lib/graphql/static/upcoming-changes')
-const prerenderedObjectsJson = require('../../lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const previewsJson = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/previews.json')
+const upcomingChangesJson = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/upcoming-changes.json')
+const prerenderedObjectsJson = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects.json')
 const { schemaValidator, previewsValidator, upcomingChangesValidator } = require('../../lib/graphql/validator')
 const revalidator = require('revalidator')
 const allVersions = Object.values(require('../../lib/all-versions'))
 const graphqlVersions = allVersions.map(v => v.miscVersionName)
-const graphqlTypes = require('../../lib/graphql/types').map(t => t.kind)
+const graphqlTypes = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/types.json').map(t => t.kind)
 
 describe('graphql json files', () => {
   jest.setTimeout(3 * 60 * 1000)
diff --git a/tests/graphql/build-changelog-test.js b/tests/graphql/build-changelog-test.js
index e27f2f86a8..7c04d2edf5 100644
--- a/tests/graphql/build-changelog-test.js
+++ b/tests/graphql/build-changelog-test.js
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ const { createChangelogEntry, cleanPreviewTitle, previewAnchor, prependDatedEntr
 const fs = require('fs').promises
 const MockDate = require('mockdate')
 const readFileAsync = require('../../lib/readfile-async')
-const expectedChangelogEntry = require('../fixtures/changelog-entry')
-const expectedUpdatedChangelogFile = require('../fixtures/updated-changelog-file')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const expectedChangelogEntry = readJsonFile('./tests/fixtures/changelog-entry.json')
+const expectedUpdatedChangelogFile = readJsonFile('./tests/fixtures/updated-changelog-file.json')
 
 describe('creating a changelog from old schema and new schema', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
diff --git a/tests/routing/developer-site-redirects.js b/tests/routing/developer-site-redirects.js
index 53a776d34b..89e75099c4 100644
--- a/tests/routing/developer-site-redirects.js
+++ b/tests/routing/developer-site-redirects.js
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ const path = require('path')
 const { eachOfLimit } = require('async')
 const enterpriseServerReleases = require('../../lib/enterprise-server-releases')
 const { get } = require('../helpers/supertest')
-const restRedirectFixtures = require('../fixtures/rest-redirects')
-const graphqlRedirectFixtures = require('../fixtures/graphql-redirects')
-const developerRedirectFixtures = require('../fixtures/developer-redirects')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const restRedirectFixtures = readJsonFile('./tests/fixtures/rest-redirects.json')
+const graphqlRedirectFixtures = readJsonFile('./tests/fixtures/graphql-redirects.json')
+const developerRedirectFixtures = readJsonFile('./tests/fixtures/developer-redirects.json')
 
 const MAX_CONCURRENT_REQUESTS = 50
 
diff --git a/tests/routing/top-developer-site-path-redirects.js b/tests/routing/top-developer-site-path-redirects.js
index 233b06ab5b..ee033f8cb6 100644
--- a/tests/routing/top-developer-site-path-redirects.js
+++ b/tests/routing/top-developer-site-path-redirects.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-const fs = require('fs')
-const path = require('path')
 const { head } = require('../helpers/supertest')
-const topOldDeveloperSitePaths = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'tests/fixtures/top-old-developer-site-paths.json')))
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const topOldDeveloperSitePaths = readJsonFile('tests/fixtures/top-old-developer-site-paths.json')
 
 jest.useFakeTimers()
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/feature-flags.js b/tests/unit/feature-flags.js
index 4b41ada884..18be5f8207 100644
--- a/tests/unit/feature-flags.js
+++ b/tests/unit/feature-flags.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require('../../lib/feature-flags')
-const ffs = require('../../feature-flags')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const ffs = readJsonFile('./feature-flags.json')
 
 describe('feature flags', () => {
   Object.keys(ffs).forEach(featureName => {
diff --git a/tests/unit/page.js b/tests/unit/page.js
index 9f40ab794d..2711fb932a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/page.js
+++ b/tests/unit/page.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 const path = require('path')
 const cheerio = require('cheerio')
 const Page = require('../../lib/page')
-const prerenderedObjects = require('../../lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects')
+const readJsonFile = require('../../lib/read-json-file')
+const prerenderedObjects = readJsonFile('./lib/graphql/static/prerendered-objects.json')
 const allVersions = require('../../lib/all-versions')
 const enterpriseServerReleases = require('../../lib/enterprise-server-releases')
 const nonEnterpriseDefaultVersion = require('../../lib/non-enterprise-default-version')