JSONPath syntax cheat sheet

Q: What does $ mean in JSONPath?

The root of the document. Every JSONPath expression starts at $ and walks down, so $.store.book[0] means: from the root, key store, key book, index 0.

Q: How do I select all items in an array?

Use the wildcard: $.store.book[*].title returns every title. For a range, use a slice like [0:2]. For matching items, use a filter like [?(@.price < 10)].

Q: Why does my path return nothing?

Usual causes: a misspelled key, 1-based indexing instead of 0-based, or addressing an object where the document has an array. Paste the document into the path finder to browse the real paths.

JSONPath addresses values inside a JSON document the way file paths address files: $.store.book[0].title reads the title of the first book. This cheat sheet covers the syntax you will use daily, with runnable examples.

Every expression starts at the root $, then walks down with dots for object keys and brackets for array indices. That covers most real usage; wildcards, slices, and filters handle the rest.

The example document

json

{
  "store": {
    "book": [
      { "title": "A", "price": 8.95 },
      { "title": "B", "price": 12.99 }
    ],
    "open": true
  }
}

Everyday expressions

Core JSONPath syntax with results against the example.
Expression	Selects	Result
$	The root	Whole document
$.store.open	Object key	true
$.store.book[0]	First array item	{ title: A, … }
$.store.book[0].title	Nested key	"A"
$.store.book[-1].title	Last array item	"B"
$.store.book[*].title	Wildcard: all titles	["A", "B"]
$..price	Recursive descent	[8.95, 12.99]
$.store.book[0:2].title	Slice of items	["A", "B"]

Filters

Filters select array items by condition. $.store.book[?(@.price < 10)].title returns "A" only. The @ symbol means the current item, and most implementations support comparison and existence checks.

json

$.store.book[?(@.price < 10)].title   // "A"
$.store.book[?(@.title)].price      // [8.95, 12.99]

Keys with special characters

Dot notation only suits simple keys. For keys with dots, spaces, or dashes, use bracket quotes: $['weird.key'] or $["kebab-key"]. When a path misbehaves, the key spelling is the first suspect.

JSONPath vs jq vs JSON Pointer

JSONPath ($.a.b) is the query language of config tools, Kubernetes, and REST test suites.
jq (.a.b) is the terminal counterpart: same idea, different root symbol, far more transform power.
JSON Pointer (/a/b) is the RFC standard for patches and schemas - slashes instead of dots.

Frequently asked questions

What does $ mean in JSONPath?