Text and processing

The jq command

Processes and formats JSON from the terminal: extracts fields, filters and shows API data readably.

Syntax

jq 'filtro' archivo.json

Most useful options

.Shows the whole JSON formatted
.campoExtracts a field
.[0]First element of an array

Copy-ready examples

$ printf '{"a":1}\n' > d.json && jq .a d.jsonExtract field a

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • If the JSON is malformed, jq errors out; check it first with cat.

Related commands

grepcatcurl

FAQ

What is jq for in daily use?

To read API responses or config files without getting lost among braces.

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