JSON Path

Similarly to the widely used XPath language used to select particular part of a xml structure, the JSON Path can be used to select a particular part of a json structure.

Introduction

Though no consensus seems yet to exists around the JSONPath standard and rules, some interesting specification can be found at https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-goessner-dispatch-jsonpath-00.html

Basics

Some concepts of JSON Path language

Element	Description
$	Root element of the target data.
.	Separator in the selection path.
[]	Wrapper of the expression used to filter the data
@	Current element into a data filtering expression

Example

Some examples from the previously mentioned specification page

Target JSON

{
  "store": {
    "book": [
      {
        "category": "reference",
        "author": "Nigel Rees",
        "title": "Sayings of the Century",
        "price": 8.95
      },
      {
        "category": "fiction",
        "author": "Evelyn Waugh",
        "title": "Sword of Honour",
        "price": 12.99
      },
      {
        "category": "fiction",
        "author": "Herman Melville",
        "title": "Moby Dick",
        "isbn": "0-553-21311-3",
        "price": 8.99
      },
      {
        "category": "fiction",
        "author": "J. R. R. Tolkien",
        "title": "The Lord of the Rings",
        "isbn": "0-395-19395-8",
        "price": 22.99
      }
    ],
    "bicycle": {
      "color": "red",
      "price": 19.95
    }
  }
}

Filtering expressions

XPath	JSONPath
/store/book/author	$.store.book[*].author	the authors of all books in the store
//author	$..author	all authors
/store/*	$.store.*	all things in store, which are some books and a red bicycle.
/store//price	$.store..price	the price of everything in the store.
//book[3]	$..book[2]	the third book
//book[last()]	$..book[(@.length-1)] $..book[-1:]	the last book in order.
//book[position()<3]	$..book[0,1] $..book[:2]	the first two books
//book[isbn]	$..book[?(@.isbn)]	filter all books with isbn number
//book[price<10]	$..book[?(@.price<10)]	filter all books cheapier than 10
//*	$..*	all Elements in XML document. All members of JSON data item.

Testing

JSONPath testing is available at : https://jsonpath.com