JSONPath Tester

What is this tool?

This JSONPath tester evaluates a JSONPath expression against JSON you paste and shows every match instantly. JSONPath is to JSON what XPath is to XML: a compact query language for selecting values from deeply nested documents, such as $.store.book[*].author. The evaluator runs entirely in your browser with no upload and no sign-up.

It supports child access, array indexes and slices, wildcards, recursive descent (..), unions, and filter expressions with comparisons, boolean logic, regular expressions, and helper functions. Results can be shown as values, as normalized paths, or both.

Why use an online JSONPath tester?

Writing a path blind and running your whole app to check it is slow. A JSONPath evaluator online gives you a tight feedback loop: paste a real payload, adjust the expression, and see the result live.

• Prototype paths for API assertions, log queries, and config extraction before putting them in code.
• Debug why a path returns nothing: bad key, wrong index, or a filter that never matches.
• Learn the syntax by experimenting with built-in samples.
• Extract just the fields you need from huge responses.

Key features

• Live evaluation — Results update as you type the path or the JSON.
• Full selector set — Names, indexes, negative indexes, wildcards, slices with steps, unions, and recursive descent.
• Filters — ==, !=, <, <=, >, >=, &&, ||, !, grouping, existence tests, and =~ /regex/.
• Functions — length(), count(), match(), search(), and value().
• Output modes — Values, normalized paths, or both as pretty-printed JSON.
• Helpful errors — Parse errors show the problem and the position in your expression.
• History & session memory — Copy a result to save the query in History; inputs persist in this tab.

How to use

1. Paste JSON — Drop your document into the JSON input, or press Sample.
2. Enter a path — Start with $ and build the expression, or click a sample chip.
3. Read the result — Matches appear on the right with a count. Toggle Values, Paths, or Both.
4. Copy — Copy the output; the query is also saved to History so you can reload it later.

JSONPath syntax reference

Filter expressions

A filter [?(…)] tests each child of an array or object. Inside the filter, @ refers to the child being tested and $ still refers to the document root.

• Comparisons — @.price < 10, @.category == 'fiction'. Numbers compare with numbers and strings with strings; mismatched types are simply false.
• Existence — [?(@.isbn)] keeps items that have the key, and [?(!@.isbn)] keeps those that do not.
• Logic — Combine with && and ||, negate with !, and group with parentheses.
• Regex — @.name =~ /^ab/i tests a string against a JavaScript regular expression.
• Functions — length(@.tags) > 2, count(@.*) == 4, match(@.id, 'a.*') (whole string), search(@.id, 'x') (anywhere).
• Cross-references — Compare to another part of the document: [?(@.price < $.expensive)].

Examples

These all run against the built-in sample (a small bookstore document):

Use cases

Best practices

• Be specific — Prefer $.store.book[*].price over $..price when you know the structure; recursive descent can match unexpected keys.
• Quote awkward keys — Use $['first name'] or $['a.b'] for spaces, dots, and unusual characters.
• Treat results as lists — A path always yields a list, even for one match. Handle empty results explicitly in code.
• Check your library — Implementations differ on filters, regex flavor, and edge cases. Test the final path in the library you ship with.
• Format first — Pretty-print messy input with the JSON Formatter to understand the structure before writing a path.

Common mistakes

• Double quotes vs single quotes — Both work inside brackets; use whichever avoids escaping inside your host language string.
• Forgetting the wildcard — $.store.book.title returns nothing because book is an array; use $.store.book[*].title.
• Filters on the wrong level — [?(…)] tests the children of the node before it, so place it after the array or object you want to filter.
• Comparing different types — @.price == '8.95' never matches the number 8.95.
• Index out of range — Missing indexes return no match rather than an error.

FAQ

Related terms

Core: jsonpath tester, jsonpath evaluator online, jsonpath online, test jsonpath expression, jsonpath query, jsonpath filter, jsonpath cheat sheet.

Syntax: recursive descent, array slice, wildcard, filter expression, RFC 9535, normalized path, jsonpath regex.

Ecosystem: jayway jsonpath, jsonpath-plus, Postman jsonpath, kubectl jsonpath, jq vs jsonpath, json query language.

Similar tools

You might also find these developer tools useful:

• JSON Formatter
• JSON → Types
• JSON Operations
• JSON Diff
• Regex Tester

Conclusion

This JSONPath tester gives you instant feedback while you build queries: wildcards, slices, recursive descent, and rich filters, with values or normalized paths in the output. When you are done extracting, generate types with JSON → Types, compare documents with the JSON Diff, or tidy input with the JSON Formatter.