diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 46d8086..5011439 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "gls",
  "gtk4",
  "libadwaita",
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -439,6 +441,12 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2540771e65fc8cb83cd6e8a237f70c319bd5c29f78ed1084ba5d50eeac86f7f9"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "itoa"
+version = "1.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1aab8fc367588b89dcee83ab0fd66b72b50b72fa1904d7095045ace2b0c81c35"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "khronos_api"
 version = "3.1.0"
@@ -709,6 +717,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "semver",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ryu"
+version = "1.0.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "73b4b750c782965c211b42f022f59af1fbceabdd026623714f104152f1ec149f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "safe_arch"
 version = "0.6.0"
@@ -738,24 +752,35 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
-version = "1.0.132"
+version = "1.0.136"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8b9875c23cf305cd1fd7eb77234cbb705f21ea6a72c637a5c6db5fe4b8e7f008"
+checksum = "ce31e24b01e1e524df96f1c2fdd054405f8d7376249a5110886fb4b658484789"
 dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_derive"
-version = "1.0.132"
+version = "1.0.136"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ecc0db5cb2556c0e558887d9bbdcf6ac4471e83ff66cf696e5419024d1606276"
+checksum = "08597e7152fcd306f41838ed3e37be9eaeed2b61c42e2117266a554fab4662f9"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_json"
+version = "1.0.78"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d23c1ba4cf0efd44be32017709280b32d1cea5c3f1275c3b6d9e8bc54f758085"
+dependencies = [
+ "itoa",
+ "ryu",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "simba"
 version = "0.7.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 47bad50..b955ebb 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ edition = "2021"
 # See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
 
 [dependencies]
-adw = { version = "0.1.0", package = "libadwaita" }
+adw = { version = "0.1", package = "libadwaita" }
 gtk = { version = "0.4", package = "gtk4" }
-gls = { version = "0.1.6" }
+gls = { version = "0.1" }
+serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"]}
+serde_json = {  version = "1.0" }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index be10aab..121c5f9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::fs;
+
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use adw::{prelude::*, ApplicationWindow, HeaderBar, SplitButton};
 use gio::SimpleAction;
 use glib::clone;
 use gtk::{gio, glib, FileChooserAction, FileChooserDialog, ResponseType};
 use gtk::{
-    ActionBar, Application, AspectFrame, Box, Button, Grid, Image, Orientation, PositionType,
-    Scale, Separator, ToggleButton,
+    ActionBar, Application, AspectFrame, Box, Button, FileFilter, Grid, Image, Orientation,
+    PositionType, Scale, Separator, ToggleButton,
 };
 
 const MARGIN_TOP: i32 = 32;
@@ -22,7 +25,7 @@ const TOGGLE_NEIGHBOURS_TEXT: &str = "Show Neighbours";
 
 const SCALE_STEP: f64 = 1.0;
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct AnnotationZStack {
     images: Vec<AnnotationImage>,
     best_index: Option<usize>,
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ impl AnnotationZStack {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct AnnotationImage {
     image_path: String,
     neighbours: [Option<String>; 8],
@@ -178,9 +181,14 @@ fn previous_image(
     );
 }
 
-fn save_annotation(z_stack: AnnotationZStack) {
+fn save_annotation(annotation_dataset: &Vec<AnnotationZStack>) {
     // TODO: implement saving
-    eprintln!("Saving is not implemented yet!")
+    eprintln!("Saving is not implemented yet!");
+    // Serialize it to a JSON string.
+    let j = serde_json::to_string(&annotation_dataset).unwrap();
+
+    // Print, write to a file, or send to an HTTP server.
+    eprintln!("{}", &j);
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -434,15 +442,32 @@ fn main() {
             .content(&application_vertical_widget)
             .build();
 
+        let file_chooser_action = FileChooserAction::Open;
+        let buttons = [("Open", ResponseType::Ok), ("Cancel", ResponseType::Cancel)];
+        let filter = FileFilter::new();
+        filter.add_pattern(r"*.json");
+
+        let file_chooser = FileChooserDialog::new(Some("Chose a data file!"), Some(&window), file_chooser_action, &buttons);
+        file_chooser.set_select_multiple(false);
+        file_chooser.set_filter(&filter);
+
+        file_chooser.connect_response(clone!(@strong annotaion_dataset => move |dialog: &FileChooserDialog, response: ResponseType| {
+            if response == ResponseType::Ok {
+                let file = dialog.file().expect("Couldn't get file");
+                eprintln!("Open");
+                let filename = file.path().expect("Couldn't get file path");
+                let contents = fs::read_to_string(filename).expect("Something went wrong reading the file");
+                
+                let dataset : Vec<AnnotationZStack> = serde_json::from_str(&contents).unwrap();                
+                // TODO: update data after loading
+            }
+            dialog.close();        
+        }));
 
         open_button.connect_clicked(clone!(@weak window => move |_| {
-                let file_chooser_action = FileChooserAction::Open;
-
                 // TODO: actually open and load data
-    
-                let buttons = [("Open", ResponseType::Accept)];
-                let file_chooser = FileChooserDialog::new(Some("Chose a data file!"), Some(&window), file_chooser_action, &buttons);
                 file_chooser.show();
+
         }));
 
         ////////////////////////
@@ -469,9 +494,7 @@ fn main() {
             eprintln! {"Focus Set!"};
             let index = current_z_stack_index.as_ref().get();
 
-            let mut z_stack = annotaion_dataset.get(index).unwrap().clone();
-            z_stack.best_index = Some(focus_scale.value() as usize);
-            save_annotation(z_stack);
+            save_annotation(&annotaion_dataset);
             next_image(current_z_stack_index.clone().as_ref(), annotaion_dataset.clone(), focus_scale.as_ref(), image_ui.as_ref());
         }));