JSONPath Online Evaluator

Query and extract data from JSON using JSONPath expressions. Paste your JSON, write a path expression, and see matching results instantly. Free, no signup required.

Open JSONPath Evaluator →

What is JSONPath?

JSONPath is a query language for JSON documents, analogous to how XPath is used to query XML. It provides a concise expression syntax for navigating the structure of a JSON document and extracting specific values, arrays, or sub-objects. JSONPath was originally proposed by Stefan Goessner in 2007 and has since become one of the most widely used tools in the JSON ecosystem.

A formal standard for JSONPath has now been published as RFC 9535 (2024), replacing the informally-specified original version with a rigorous definition. Most libraries implement a superset of the original Goessner spec.

JSONPath is embedded in many popular tools and specifications:

OpenAPI 3.x - uses JSONPath for response body filtering
Kubernetes JSONPath - used in kubectl output formatting
Jayway JsonPath - widely used Java library
jq - a related but distinct command-line JSON processor
AWS Step Functions - uses JSONPath for state machine input/output processing

JSONPath Syntax Reference

The following table covers the core JSONPath operators and what each one does:

Operator	Description	Example
`$`	Root element. Every path starts here.	`$`
`.`	Child operator. Access a named property.	`$.user.name`
`..`	Recursive descent. Find key at any depth.	`$..name`
`[n]`	Array index (zero-based).	`$.items[0]`
`[start:end]`	Array slice (like Python).	`$.items[0:3]`
`*`	Wildcard. Matches all children.	`$.users[*].email`
`[?(expr)]`	Filter expression. Select by condition.	`$.items[?(@.price < 50)]`
`@`	Current node (used inside filters).	`@.active == true`
`[a,b,c]`	Union. Select multiple indices or keys.	`$.items[0,2,4]`

Common JSONPath Examples

Given this sample JSON document representing a bookstore:

{
  "store": {
    "book": [
      { "category": "fiction", "title": "Dune", "author": "Frank Herbert", "price": 8.99 },
      { "category": "fiction", "title": "Neuromancer", "author": "William Gibson", "price": 11.99 },
      { "category": "reference", "title": "Pro Git", "author": "Scott Chacon", "price": 0 }
    ],
    "location": "New York"
  }
}

JSONPath Expression	Result
`$.store.book[0].title`	"Dune"
`$.store.book[*].author`	["Frank Herbert", "William Gibson", "Scott Chacon"]
`$..price`	[8.99, 11.99, 0]
`$.store.book[?(@.price > 9)]`	[ Neuromancer object ]
`$.store.book[?(@.category == "reference")]`	[ Pro Git object ]
`$.store.book[-1:]`	[ Pro Git object ] (last element)

JSONPath vs XPath: Key Differences

JSONPath was explicitly modeled on XPath, so the two share many conceptual similarities. However, there are important differences that reflect the structural differences between JSON and XML:

Root symbol - XPath uses / for the root; JSONPath uses $.
Child separator - XPath uses / (e.g., /store/book); JSONPath uses . (e.g., $.store.book).
Recursive descent - XPath uses //; JSONPath uses ...
Attributes - XML has attributes (@attr in XPath); JSON has no attribute concept, so @ in JSONPath refers to the current node in a filter.
Axes - XPath has a rich set of axes (parent, sibling, ancestor). JSONPath only has child and recursive descent navigation; there is no way to navigate upward to a parent from within a path expression.
Namespaces - XPath has namespace support for XML; JSONPath has no equivalent concept.
Array indexing - JSONPath array indices are zero-based integers in square brackets; XPath uses one-based positional predicates.

For most practical use cases involving JSON APIs and data processing, JSONPath's simpler model is more than sufficient and is easier to learn than the full XPath specification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is JSONPath?

JSONPath is a query language for JSON, similar to how XPath works for XML. It lets you navigate and extract specific values from a JSON document using a path expression syntax. JSONPath was originally proposed by Stefan Goessner in 2007. A standardized version is now defined in RFC 9535 (2024). It is widely supported in libraries for Java, Python, JavaScript, Go, and many other languages.

What does the $ symbol mean in JSONPath?

The $ symbol represents the root of the JSON document. Every valid JSONPath expression must start with $ to indicate you are querying from the top level of the document. For example, $.store.book[0].title retrieves the title of the first book in the store object starting from the document root.

What is the difference between . and .. in JSONPath?

A single dot (.) is the child operator and accesses an immediate child property. For example, $.user.name accesses the name property directly inside user. Two dots (..) are the recursive descent operator and search for a key at any depth in the document. For example, $..name finds every name field no matter how deeply nested it appears in the structure.

How do I filter array items by a condition in JSONPath?

Use the filter expression syntax with [?()]. The @ symbol refers to the current element being evaluated. For example, $.store.book[?(@.price < 10)] returns all book objects where the price property is less than 10. You can use comparison operators (==, !=, <, >, <=, >=) and string comparisons in filter expressions.

Ready to query your JSON with JSONPath?

Free, instant, 100% private. No account needed.

Open JSONPath Evaluator →