About JSONPath Tester

Test JSONPath expressions against a JSON document. Part of the DevTools Surf developer suite. Browse more tools in the JSON collection.

Use Cases

• Extract specific fields from complex API responses
• Build and test data extraction queries for ETL pipelines
• Debug webhook payloads by querying nested JSON structures
• Prototype jq-style filters for command-line JSON processing

Tips

• Test JSONPath expressions like $.store.book[*].author live
• Use recursive descent ($..) to find keys at any depth
• Filter array elements with expressions like [?(@.price<10)]

Fun Facts

• JSONPath was proposed by Stefan Goessner in 2007 as the JSON equivalent of XPath for XML, though it was not standardized until RFC 9535 in 2024.
• The '$' root symbol in JSONPath was chosen to mirror XPath's '/' root, providing a familiar navigation paradigm for XML developers.
• JSONPath's filter expressions [?(...)] allow inline boolean logic, making it possible to query JSON like a database without SQL.

FAQ

What JSONPath implementation does this follow?

Goessner's JSONPath with common extensions (slices, filter expressions, recursive descent). This is what jq, the Kubernetes jsonpath flag, and most JS libraries use.

How is JSONPath different from JMESPath?

JSONPath is simpler and more widely supported. JMESPath has a proper grammar with pipes and functions. Use JSONPath for querying; reach for JMESPath when you need reshape operations.

Does it support recursive descent?

Yes — `$..price` finds every 'price' at any depth. Combine with filter expressions like `$..book[?(@.price > 10)]` for conditional queries.

Can I save queries for reuse?

Not within this tool — copy the expression to your codebase. The tool is focused on iterative development, not persistent snippets.