JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a standard, popular and lightweight data text-oriented format based on JavaScript object syntax to represent structured data. You can use JSON independently of JavaScript, but it strongly resembles JavaScript object literal syntax, and several programming environments can interpret (parse) and create JSON.
JSON is often adopted in web services and APIs — enabling web applications to transfer and retrieve data with a common format. JSON can be used with many modern programming languages. JSON is considered one of the popular, easiest, and lightweight and formats used for interaction between services.
JSON has attracted the attention of tool builders, who have created a variety of tools for reformatting, validating, and parsing JSON.
Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. They are all free and open source goodness.
Let’s explore the 27 JSON tools. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources.
| JSON Tools | |
|---|---|
| jq | Lightweight and flexible JSON processor. It's like sed for JSON |
| fx | JSON viewer with streaming and mouse support |
| jaq | jq clone focused on correctness, speed, and simplicity. |
| gron | Transforms JSON into discrete assignments to make it easier to grep |
| gojq | Pure Go implementation of jq |
| jless | Command-line JSON viewer written in Rust |
| jnv | Navigates JSON offering a viewer and filter editor |
| JSON Editor | View, edit, format, and validate JSON |
| jid | JSON incremental digger by using filtering queries |
| jo | Small utility to create JSON objects |
| faq | Billed as a more flexible jq supporting additional formats |
| jello | Filter JSON and JSON Lines data with Python syntax |
| jq but an interoperable configuration format transcoder | |
| json-tui | JSON terminal UI |
| jiq | Interactive JSON query tool |
| emuto | Small language for manipulating and restructuring JSON and other data |
| svelte-jsoneditor | View, edit, format, transform, and validate JSON |
| qo | Query JSON, CSV, and TSV files using SQL |
| Janice | Desktop app for viewing large JSON files |
| unqery | Query and transform JSON data |
| Twig | Terminal JSON viewer and YAML viewer |
| jtc | Extract, manipulate and transform source JSON |
| pyfx | Python-native TUI JSON viewer |
| kirill | JSON validator |
| jshon | Parses, reads and creates JSON. It's designed to be as usable as possible |
| jsawk | Like awk, but for JSON |
| jqp | TUI playground to experiment with jq |
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JSON is a good format for data exchange and much better than XML