---
name: "json2stems"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gtkwave"
version: "3.3.128-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/json2stems"
---

# json2stems(1)

Verilator JSON to rtlbrowse stems conversion.

## NAME

json2stems - Verilator JSON to rtlbrowse stems conversion.

## SYNTAX

json2stems *METAINFILE* *TREEINFILE* *OUTFILE*

## DESCRIPTION

Converts Verilator JSON AST representation to stems file for use with rtlbrowse.   Intended to replace the obsolete [xml2stems(1)](/xml2stems/1.md), and in the future, advanced tool features may possibly use additional data provided by the Verilator AST.

## EXAMPLES

The following is a chain of commands to compile Verilog source and then bring up gtkwave and rtlbrowse together for source code annotation. This assumes the file des.fst was already generated from a prior simulation.

- verilator -Wno-fatal des.v -json-only --bbox-sys

  - json2stems obj\_dir/Vdes.tree.meta.json obj\_dir/Vdes.tree.json des.stems

  - gtkwave -t des.stems des.fst

  ## AUTHORS

Leon Wandruschka \<leon.wandruschka@outlook.com\>

## SEE ALSO

[*rtlbrowse*(1)](/rtlbrowse/1.md) [*xml2stems*(1)](/xml2stems/1.md) [*gtkwave*(1)](/gtkwave/1.md)