jp

jp is a JSON processor for the command line using JSONPath (aka "a simpler jq, and with JSONPath").

$ echo '{"some": ["value", 3]}' | jp -r '$.some.*'
value
3


$ echo '{"some": ["value", 3]}' | jp
{
  "some": [
    "value",
    3
  ]
}

jp uses jsonpath_lib under the hood. You can check its implementation of JSONPath here.

See Howto jp for an introduction.

Install

# First, on GNU/Linux
$ curl -L -o jp https://github.com/cburgmer/jp/releases/download/0.4.0/jp-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
# or on OS X
$ curl -L -o jp https://github.com/cburgmer/jp/releases/download/0.4.0/jp-x86_64-apple-darwin
# and finally
$ chmod a+x jp && mv jp /usr/local/bin

Features

$ jp --help
A simpler jq, and with JSONPath

Usage: jp [OPTIONS] [SELECTOR]...

Arguments:
  [SELECTOR]...  JSONPath selector(s)

Options:
  -r             Unwraps primitive JSON values
  -t             Transposes all matches per document, separated by tabs
  -0             Separates all matches by NUL (\0), helpful in conjunction with xargs -0
      --example  Prints example JSON for practising JSONPath
  -h, --help     Print help information
  -V, --version  Print version information

SELECTOR EXAMPLES:
    array index         $[2]
    object key          $.key
    complex object key  $['a key']
    union               $['key','another']
    array slice         $[0:4]
    filter expression   $[?(@.key==42)]
    recursive descent   $..key
    wildcard            $.*

E.g. get the prices of everything in the store:
  jp --example | jp '$.store..price'

Rationale

jq is quite successful, but has a steep learning curve. jp wants to be simpler:

1. JSONPath is a standard (more or less) implemented in many languages (compare https://cburgmer.github.io/json-path-comparison/). jq ships with its very own idea of a query language. Let's focus on one query language we can reuse in other areas.

2. jq is powerful and complex. Unix on the other hand already solves some of the problems jq addresses. Let's not reinvent the wheel.

Goals

In absence of a roadmap here are a few queries from an actual shell history: goals/JQ_EXAMPLES.md

Also so far unanswered questions: goals/Questions.md