A VS Code extension for quickly exploring JSON files with jq.
Open a JSON file, type a jq filter in the docked JSON Notebook panel at the bottom,
press Enter, and the result opens in a new tab. String fields are printed raw
(jq -r) so escaped text becomes readable — no more \n, \" and \t clutter.
Demo
Install
- VS Code: search "JSON Notebook" in the Extensions view, or open the Marketplace page.
- VSCodium / Cursor / Gitpod / Theia (Open VSX): search "JSON Notebook", or visit the Open VSX page.
- Manual: download the
.vsixfrom the latest GitHub release and run Extensions: Install from VSIX… from the Command Palette.
Features
- Docked query box — a persistent input at the bottom of the window (next to the Terminal/Output tabs).
- Field autocomplete — as you type a path, it inspects the open JSON and suggests the available keys:
↑/↓to move through suggestionsTabto complete the highlighted oneEnterto run the queryEscto dismiss the dropdown- Understands
.,.key,.key.sub,.[],.[0],.["weird key!"], and pipe stages (a | b).
- Raw output by default (
jq -r) — great for reading escaped text. Toggle withjsonNotebook.rawOutput. - Result in a new tab — opened beside the source, ready to read or save.
Examples
| Filter | Result |
|---|---|
. |
the whole document, pretty-printed |
.content |
the content string, unescaped and readable |
.author.name |
Ada |
.items[].label |
each item's label, one per line |
.items | map(.score) | add |
sum of all scores |
Usage
- Open any
.jsonfile. The JSON Notebook panel reveals automatically. - Click the input box and type a jq filter. Suggestions appear as you type
.. - Press Enter to run — the result opens in a new editor tab.
Requirements
jq must be installed and on your PATH. Override the location with the
jsonNotebook.jqPath setting if needed.
brew install jq # macOS
sudo apt install jq # Debian/Ubuntu
Settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
jsonNotebook.jqPath |
jq |
Path to the jq executable. |
jsonNotebook.rawOutput |
true |
Pass -r so string results print raw (unescaped). |
jsonNotebook.extraArgs |
[] |
Extra args passed to jq before the filter (e.g. -S). |
jsonNotebook.openBeside |
true |
Open the result beside the source file. |
jsonNotebook.autoReveal |
true |
Reveal the panel when a JSON file becomes active. |
jsonNotebook.maxCompletionItems |
200 |
Max field suggestions in the dropdown. |
Development
npm install
npm run compile # or: npm run watch
Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host, then open
samples/demo.json to try it out.