jshon is a command-line utility for working with JSON from shell scripts. It can inspect values, extract object members or array elements, iterate through arrays, edit existing JSON, and build new JSON values. Its main quirk is that you chain short-option actions against a stack: each action works on the current value, and jshon prints the result of the last action.
What is jshon?
jshon is an open-source JSON parser designed for convenience in shell workflows. Shell scripts do not provide nested JSON-style data structures directly, so jshon handles JSON values through an edit-history stack instead. You provide JSON on standard input, or use -F to read a file, then run one or more actions on the current value.
The upstream GitHub repository includes the C source and manual page and identifies the project as MIT-licensed. The Ubuntu Questing manpage lists its package version as 20180209.d919aea-1; that is the version identified by that distribution page, not a guarantee that other operating systems provide the same release. Check your system’s package sources for availability and installation instructions.
How jshon processes JSON
jshon reads a JSON value, applies the actions you specify in order, and prints the final action’s result. The manual recommends chaining actions in a single invocation when practical instead of launching a new jshon process for each step.
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The examples below use this JSON document:
{"a":1,"b":[true,false,null,"str"],"c":{"d":4,"e":5}}To pass a document through standard input, pipe it into jshon. For a file, use the -F option. Each option in a chain acts on the current stack value, so the order matters: select a member first, then ask for its type, length, or contents.
Inspect JSON values
These actions help identify what the current value contains before extracting or changing it:
-treports the current value’s type.-lreports the length of a string, object, or array.-klists the keys in an object.
For example, use -e b to select the b member of the sample object, then -t to report the selected value’s type. To list keys in the nested c object, select c and then run -k.
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Extract an object member or array element
Use -e index to select a value from an object or array. For an object, the index is the member name; for an array, it is the element index. In the sample document, selecting a returns the number 1. Selecting b and then an array element drills down into that array’s value.
Use -j when you want the selected value represented as encoded JSON. Use -u to output an unquoted string. Choose based on the next consumer: encoded JSON preserves JSON syntax, while unquoted output is useful when a shell command needs the string contents. The manual also documents -0 for null-delimited output in relevant cases.
Iterate through arrays and handle output
The -a action supports array iteration. jshon emits one field per line, which is convenient for many shell tasks but may not match a tool’s expected tabular format. The manual describes using paste or a shell loop when output needs to be reshaped or processed item by item.
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For newline-delimited JSON (NDJSON), the manual advises treating each line as an individual JSON value or converting the lines into a JSON array before parsing. This is documentation guidance; it does not establish compatibility with every possible input variation or downstream tool.
Create or edit JSON
jshon can modify an existing value or construct values using its stack-based actions:
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-d indexdeletes an item.-i indexinserts a value into an object or array.-w keywraps the current stack value inside an object member with that key.-nand-screate JSON values from non-string and string inputs, respectively.
Because actions are applied in sequence, build an operation around the value you want to change: select it, apply the relevant edit, and allow the final action to produce the result. The stack’s default behavior is by reference, which the manual says can make editing convenient. Use -V to enable by-value behavior.
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When reading from a file with -F, the -I option writes an edited result back to that file. Treat in-place editing as a change to the original file, and keep a separate copy if you need to preserve the input.
Options for particular workflows
-ppops an intermediate stack result.-Ssorts output object keys.-Pstrips a JSONP callback.-Qsuppresses error messages.
These options address specific output or stack-handling needs; they are not substitutes for validating that the input has the structure your script expects.
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The jshon manual’s BUGS section warns: “Numerous! Floats may lose precision. Could be more convenient to use. Documentation is brief.” In particular, avoid relying on jshon for float-sensitive calculations unless you have confirmed that its handling is suitable for your data.
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The manual also cautions that, in extreme cases involving thousands of deeply nested values, by-value operation may be several times slower and use several times more memory. This is a warning about that described scenario, not a general performance benchmark.
When jshon fits a shell script
jshon is suited to scripts that need concise JSON inspection or edits as part of a shell pipeline, especially when chaining a few operations is more useful than building a separate application. Consider another approach if your task depends on exact floating-point precision, extensive documentation, or a programming environment with native nested-data handling. Availability also depends on the operating system and its package sources; the Ubuntu version noted above should not be assumed to apply elsewhere.
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