JSONPath Query — Filter JSON Data

JSONPath is a query language for JSON, similar to XPath for XML. It lets you extract specific data from JSON documents using path expressions. For example, $.store.book[*].title selects all book titles from a store object. JSONPath is standardized (RFC 9535), supported across many programming languages, and works natively in the browser — making it ideal for quick data extraction without writing code.

Common patterns: $ (root), $.field (property), $.field.nested (nested property), $.array[0] (first item), $.array[*] (all items), $..field (recursive search), $.array[?(@.price < 10)] (filtered items), $.array[0:5] (first five items). Use * for wildcards and ? for filter predicates.

Yes. Use filter expressions with [?(@.property operator value)] syntax. For example: $.items[?(@.price > 100)] finds items over $100, $.users[?(@.active == true)] finds active users, and $.orders[?(@.status != "cancelled")] excludes cancelled orders. Supported operators include ==, !=, <, >, <=, and >=.

JSONPath is a query language focused on selecting data, while jq is a full transformation language that can select, reshape, and compute new values. JSONPath is simpler for basic extraction, works in browsers without installation, and is supported natively in many languages (JavaScript, Python, Java). jq is more powerful for complex transformations but requires installation and learning its own syntax.

JSONPath provides read-only field selection similar to GraphQL queries. While it does not support GraphQL features like types, mutations, or subscriptions, it is perfect for extracting specific fields from any JSON API response without setting up a GraphQL server or schema.

The recursive descent operator (..) searches every level of the JSON tree for matching keys. For example, $..id finds every "id" property at any nesting depth — whether it is at the root, inside an array, or buried five levels deep. This is extremely useful when you know the key name but not the exact path.

Array slicing uses [start:end:step] syntax similar to Python. $.array[0:3] returns the first three items (indices 0, 1, 2). $.array[-2:] returns the last two items. $.array[::2] returns every other item. Negative indices count from the end of the array.

You can use the union operator with bracket notation to select multiple properties at once. For example, $.user["name","email","role"] extracts three specific fields from a user object in a single expression, which is handy for building projections of the data you need.

Absolutely. All JSONPath parsing and evaluation happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your JSON data is never sent to any server, logged, or stored. This makes the tool safe for production data, API keys, and any sensitive payloads.