diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 28fbcfb..de4c02c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Output files
 issue_metrics.md
+issue_metrics.json
 
 # Byte-compiled / optimized / DLL files
 __pycache__/
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5cb410c..b300e20 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -238,6 +238,35 @@ Here is the output with all hidable columns hidden:
 
 ```
 
+## Example using the JSON output instead of the markdown output
+
+There is JSON output available as well. You could use it for any number of possibilities, but here is one example that demonstrates retreiving the JSON output and then printing it out.
+
+```yaml
+name: Monthly issue metrics
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '3 2 1 * *'
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    name: issue metrics
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - name: Run issue-metrics tool
+      id: issue-metrics
+      uses: github/issue-metrics@v2
+      env:
+        GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
+        SEARCH_QUERY: 'repo:owner/repo is:issue created:2023-05-01..2023-05-31 -reason:"not planned"'
+
+    - name: Print output of issue metrics tool
+      run: echo "${{ steps.issue-metrics.outputs.metrics }}"
+
+```
+
 ## Local usage without Docker
 
 1. Copy `.env-example` to `.env`
diff --git a/issue_metrics.py b/issue_metrics.py
index 66dc088..789d6c6 100644
--- a/issue_metrics.py
+++ b/issue_metrics.py
@@ -29,15 +29,16 @@
 import github3
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
+from classes import IssueWithMetrics
 from discussions import get_discussions
-from time_to_close import measure_time_to_close, get_average_time_to_close
+from json_writer import write_to_json
+from markdown_writer import write_to_markdown
+from time_to_answer import get_average_time_to_answer, measure_time_to_answer
+from time_to_close import get_average_time_to_close, measure_time_to_close
 from time_to_first_response import (
-    measure_time_to_first_response,
     get_average_time_to_first_response,
+    measure_time_to_first_response,
 )
-from time_to_answer import measure_time_to_answer, get_average_time_to_answer
-from markdown_writer import write_to_markdown
-from classes import IssueWithMetrics
 
 
 def get_env_vars() -> tuple[str, str]:
@@ -274,7 +275,15 @@ def main():
 
     average_time_to_answer = get_average_time_to_answer(issues_with_metrics)
 
-    # Write the results to a markdown file
+    # Write the results to json and a markdown file
+    write_to_json(
+        issues_with_metrics,
+        average_time_to_first_response,
+        average_time_to_close,
+        average_time_to_answer,
+        num_issues_open,
+        num_issues_closed,
+    )
     write_to_markdown(
         issues_with_metrics,
         average_time_to_first_response,
diff --git a/json_writer.py b/json_writer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53a8758
--- /dev/null
+++ b/json_writer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+"""A module for writing GitHub issue metrics to a json file.
+
+Functions:
+    write_to_json(
+        issues_with_metrics: List[IssueWithMetrics],
+        average_time_to_first_response: timedelta,
+        average_time_to_close: timedelta,
+        average_time_to_answer: timedelta,
+        num_issues_opened: int,
+        num_issues_closed: int,
+    ) -> str:
+        Write the issues with metrics to a json file.
+
+"""
+
+
+import json
+from datetime import timedelta
+import os
+from typing import List, Union
+
+from classes import IssueWithMetrics
+
+
+def write_to_json(
+    issues_with_metrics: Union[List[IssueWithMetrics], None],
+    average_time_to_first_response: Union[timedelta, None],
+    average_time_to_close: Union[timedelta, None],
+    average_time_to_answer: Union[timedelta, None],
+    num_issues_opened: Union[int, None],
+    num_issues_closed: Union[int, None],
+) -> str:
+    """
+    Write the issues with metrics to a JSON file called issue_metrics.json.
+
+    json structure is like following
+    {
+        "average_time_to_first_response": "2 days, 12:00:00",
+        "average_time_to_close": "5 days, 0:00:00",
+        "average_time_to_answer": "1 day, 0:00:00",
+        "num_items_opened": 2,
+        "num_items_closed": 1,
+        "total_item_count": 2,
+        "issues": [
+            {
+                "title": "Issue 1",
+                "html_url": "https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/1",
+                "time_to_first_response": "3 days, 0:00:00",
+                "time_to_close": "6 days, 0:00:00",
+                "time_to_answer": "None",
+            },
+            {
+                "title": "Issue 2",
+                "html_url": "https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/2",
+                "time_to_first_response": "2 days, 0:00:00",
+                "time_to_close": "4 days, 0:00:00",
+                "time_to_answer": "1 day, 0:00:00",
+            },
+        ],
+    }
+
+    """
+
+    # Ensure issues_with_metrics is not None
+    if not issues_with_metrics:
+        return ""
+
+    # Create a dictionary with the metrics
+    metrics = {
+        "average_time_to_first_response": str(average_time_to_first_response),
+        "average_time_to_close": str(average_time_to_close),
+        "average_time_to_answer": str(average_time_to_answer),
+        "num_items_opened": num_issues_opened,
+        "num_items_closed": num_issues_closed,
+        "total_item_count": len(issues_with_metrics),
+    }
+
+    # Create a list of dictionaries with the issues and metrics
+    issues = []
+    for issue in issues_with_metrics:
+        issues.append(
+            {
+                "title": issue.title,
+                "html_url": issue.html_url,
+                "time_to_first_response": str(issue.time_to_first_response),
+                "time_to_close": str(issue.time_to_close),
+                "time_to_answer": str(issue.time_to_answer),
+            }
+        )
+
+    # Add the issues to the metrics dictionary
+    metrics["issues"] = issues
+
+    # add output to github action output
+    # pylint: disable=unspecified-encoding
+    metrics_json = json.dumps(metrics)
+    if os.environ.get("GITHUB_OUTPUT"):
+        with open(os.environ["GITHUB_OUTPUT"], "a") as file_handle:
+            print(f"metrics={metrics_json}", file=file_handle)
+
+    # Write the metrics to a JSON file
+    with open("issue_metrics.json", "w", encoding="utf-8") as file:
+        json.dump(metrics, file, indent=4)
+
+    return metrics_json
diff --git a/test_json_writer.py b/test_json_writer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..474883f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_json_writer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""Tests for the write_to_json function in json_writer.py."""
+
+import json
+import unittest
+from datetime import timedelta
+from classes import IssueWithMetrics
+from json_writer import write_to_json
+
+
+class TestWriteToJson(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Tests for the write_to_json function."""
+
+    def test_write_to_json(self):
+        """Test that write_to_json writes the correct JSON file."""
+        issues_with_metrics = [
+            IssueWithMetrics(
+                title="Issue 1",
+                html_url="https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/1",
+                time_to_first_response=timedelta(days=3),
+                time_to_close=timedelta(days=6),
+                time_to_answer=None,
+            ),
+            IssueWithMetrics(
+                title="Issue 2",
+                html_url="https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/2",
+                time_to_first_response=timedelta(days=2),
+                time_to_close=timedelta(days=4),
+                time_to_answer=timedelta(days=1),
+            ),
+        ]
+        average_time_to_first_response = timedelta(days=2.5)
+        average_time_to_close = timedelta(days=5)
+        average_time_to_answer = timedelta(days=1)
+        num_issues_opened = 2
+        num_issues_closed = 1
+
+        expected_output = {
+            "average_time_to_first_response": "2 days, 12:00:00",
+            "average_time_to_close": "5 days, 0:00:00",
+            "average_time_to_answer": "1 day, 0:00:00",
+            "num_items_opened": 2,
+            "num_items_closed": 1,
+            "total_item_count": 2,
+            "issues": [
+                {
+                    "title": "Issue 1",
+                    "html_url": "https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/1",
+                    "time_to_first_response": "3 days, 0:00:00",
+                    "time_to_close": "6 days, 0:00:00",
+                    "time_to_answer": "None",
+                },
+                {
+                    "title": "Issue 2",
+                    "html_url": "https://github.com/owner/repo/issues/2",
+                    "time_to_first_response": "2 days, 0:00:00",
+                    "time_to_close": "4 days, 0:00:00",
+                    "time_to_answer": "1 day, 0:00:00",
+                },
+            ],
+        }
+
+        # Call the function and check the output
+        self.assertEqual(
+            write_to_json(
+                issues_with_metrics,
+                average_time_to_first_response,
+                average_time_to_close,
+                average_time_to_answer,
+                num_issues_opened,
+                num_issues_closed,
+            ),
+            json.dumps(expected_output),
+        )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/test_markdown_writer.py b/test_markdown_writer.py
index 0e64ff5..75a03f5 100644
--- a/test_markdown_writer.py
+++ b/test_markdown_writer.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 Classes:
     TestWriteToMarkdown: A class to test the write_to_markdown function with mock data.
+    TestWriteToMarkdownWithEnv: A class to test the write_to_markdown function with
+        environment variables set.
 
 """
 import os