jose-fmt1

Converts json between serialization formats

Usage

jose fmt [OPTIONS]

Overview

This jose fmt command provides a mechanism for building and parsing JSON objects from the command line. It operates as a simple stack machine. All commands operate on the TOP item of the stack and, occasionally, the PREV item of the stack. Commands that require a specific type of value will indicate it in parentheses. For example: "TOP (arr.)".

This program returns 0 on success or the index of the option which failed.

Options

• -0, --null : Assert TOP to be null

• -a, --append : Append TOP to the end of PREV (arr.)

• -a, --append : Set missing values from TOP (obj.) into PREV (obj.)

• -A, --array : Assert TOP to be an array

• -B, --boolean : Assert TOP to be a boolean

• -c, --copy : Deep copy TOP, push onto TOP

• -d NAME, --delete=NAME : Delete NAME from TOP (obj.)

• -d , --delete= : Delete # from TOP (arr.)

• -d -, --delete=- : Delete # from the end of TOP (arr.)

• -e, --empty : Erase all items from TOP (arr./obj.)

• -E, --equal : Assert TOP to be equal to PREV

• -f FILE, --foreach=FILE : Write TOP (obj./arr.) to FILE, one line/item

• -f -, --foreach=- : Write TOP (obj./arr.) to STDOUT, one line/item

• -F, --false : Assert TOP to be false

• -g NAME, --get=NAME : Get item with NAME from TOP (obj.), push to TOP

• -g , --get= : Get # item from TOP (arr.), push to TOP

• -g -, --get=- : Get # item from the end of TOP (arr.), push to TOP

• -i , --insert= : Insert TOP into PREV (arr.) at #

• -I, --integer : Assert TOP to be an integer

• -j JSON, --json=JSON : Parse JSON constant, push onto TOP

• -j FILE, --json=FILE : Read from FILE, push onto TOP

• -j -, --json=- : Read from STDIN, push onto TOP

• -l, --length : Push length of TOP (arr./str./obj.) to TOP

• -M , --move= : Move TOP back # places on the stack

• -N, --number : Assert TOP to be a number

• -o FILE, --output=FILE : Write TOP to FILE

• -o -, --output=- : Write TOP to STDOUT

• -O, --object : Assert TOP to be an object

• -q STR, --quote=STR : Convert STR to a string, push onto TOP

• -Q, --query : Query the stack by deep copying and pushing onto TOP

• -R, --real : Assert TOP to be a real

• -s NAME, --set=NAME : Sets TOP into PREV (obj.) with NAME

• -s , --set= : Sets TOP into PREV (obj.) at #

• -s -, --set=- : Sets TOP into PREV (obj.) at # from the end

• -S, --string : Assert TOP to be a string

• -t , --truncate= : Shrink TOP (arr.) to length #

• -t -, --truncate=- : Discard last # items from TOP (arr.)

• -T, --true : Assert TOP to be true

• -u FILE, --unquote=FILE : Write TOP (str.) to FILE without quotes

• -u -, --unquote=- : Write TOP (str.) to STDOUT without quotes

• -U, --unwind : Discard TOP from the stack

• -x, --extend : Append items from TOP to the end of PREV (arr.)

• -x, --extend : Set all values from TOP (obj.) into PREV (obj.)

• -X, --not : Invert the following assertion

• -y, --b64load : URL-safe Base64 decode TOP (str.), push onto TOP

• -Y, --b64dump : URL-safe Base64 encode TOP, push onto TOP

Examples

Extract the alg parameter from a JWE Protected Header:

$ jose fmt -j "$jwe" -Og protected -yOg alg -Su-
A128KW

List all JWKs in a JWKSet (one per line):

$ echo "$jwkset" | jose fmt -j- -Og keys -Af-
{"kty":"oct",...}
{"kty":"EC",...}

Change the algorithm in a JWK:

$ echo "$jwk" | jose fmt -j- -j '"A128GCM"' -s alg -Uo-
{"kty":"oct","alg":"A128GCM",...}

Build a JWE template:

$ jose fmt -j '{}' -cs unprotected -q A128KW -s alg -UUo-
{"unprotected":{"alg":"A128KW"}}

History

Arch Linux 2026-11-01: the text shown here
Debian 13 (Trixie)
Debian 12 (Bookworm)
Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 10 (Buster)

--append until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --array until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --b64dump until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --b64load until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --boolean until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --copy until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --delete until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --empty until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --equal until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --extend until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --false until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --foreach until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --get until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --insert until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --integer until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --json until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --length until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --move until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --not until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --null until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --number until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --object until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --output until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --query until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --quote until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --real until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --set until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --string until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --true until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --truncate until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --unquote until Debian 11 (Bullseye); --unwind until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -0 until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -A until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -B until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -E until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -F until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -I until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -M until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -N until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -O until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -Q until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -R until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -S until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -T until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -U until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -X until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -Y until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -a until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -c until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -d until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -e until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -f until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -g until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -i until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -j until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -l until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -o until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -q until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -s until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -t until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -u until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -x until Debian 11 (Bullseye); -y until Debian 11 (Bullseye).