Introduction to JSON Path

Welcome — in this concise JSONPath tutorial you’ll learn how to query JSON data that contains objects (dictionaries), arrays (lists), and nested combinations of both. We’ll also cover simple criteria/filters, and how to practice with hands-on exercises. This lesson is designed for beginners: we start with a quick comparison of YAML vs JSON, then step through JSONPath basics (dot notation, array indexing), combining objects and arrays, and filtering. Finally, you’ll find pointers to practice quizzes and reference materials.

A presentation slide titled "Objectives" with bulleted topics about YAML, YAML vs JSON, JSONPath (dictionaries, lists, lists and dictionaries, criteria) and practice exercises. There's also a small screenshot of a JSONPath tool on the right.

Callouts and quick tips

JSONPath is often described as “SQL for JSON”. Many interactive JSONPath tools display results inside an array even when a single value is returned — keep that in mind when matching expected outputs in exercises.

What is YAML vs JSON?

Both formats represent structured data and are widely used for configuration, APIs, and data interchange.
YAML uses indentation and dashes for readability; JSON uses curly braces ({}) and square brackets ([]) and is slightly more verbose.
Most languages and tools provide easy conversion between YAML and JSON (online converters or libraries).

Comparison summary:

Feature	YAML	JSON
Readability	Human-friendly with indentation	Machine-friendly, explicit separators
Lists	Uses `-` and indentation	Uses `[]` arrays
Objects	Indentation and keys	Uses `{}` key-value pairs
Conversion	Easily converted to JSON	Easily converted from YAML

Example JSON (we’ll use JSON for the rest of the lesson):

{
  "car": {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000",
    "wheels": [
      {
        "model": "X345ERT",
        "location": "front-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X346GRX",
        "location": "front-left"
      },
      {
        "model": "X236DEM",
        "location": "rear-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X987XMV",
        "location": "rear-left"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Equivalent YAML:

car:
  color: blue
  price: "$20,000"
  wheels:
    - model: X345ERT
      location: front-right
    - model: X346GRX
      location: front-left
    - model: X236DEM
      location: rear-right
    - model: X987XMV
      location: rear-left

What is JSONPath?

JSONPath is a query language for JSON data, similar in purpose to SQL for relational tables.
A JSONPath expression selects a subset of a JSON document (values, objects, or arrays).
The JSONPath root is denoted with $.

Basic object/dot notation

Use dot notation to traverse objects/dictionaries.
$ represents the root of the JSON document.

Given this JSON:

{
  "car": {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000"
  },
  "bus": {
    "color": "white",
    "price": "$120,000"
  }
}

Examples: Query:

$.car

Result (many tools return results inside an array):

[
  {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000"
  }
]

Query:

$.bus

Result:

[
  {
    "color": "white",
    "price": "$120,000"
  }
]

To access specific properties: Query:

$.car.color

Result:

["blue"]

Query:

$.bus.price

Result:

["$120,000"]

If the document has a nested parent object:

{
  "vehicles": {
    "car": {
      "color": "blue",
      "price": "$20,000"
    },
    "bus": {
      "color": "white",
      "price": "$120,000"
    }
  }
}

Query:

$.vehicles.car

Result:

[
  {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000"
  }
]

Query:

$.vehicles.car.color

Result:

["blue"]

Arrays (lists) and index access

Use square-bracket indexing for arrays.
Indexes start at 0.

Given this array as the root:

[
  "car",
  "bus",
  "truck",
  "bike"
]

Examples: Query:

$[0]

Result:

["car"]

Query:

$[3]

Result:

["bike"]

Select multiple indices: Query:

$[0,3]

Result:

["car","bike"]

Combining objects and arrays Using the car-with-wheels JSON example:

{
  "car": {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000",
    "wheels": [
      {
        "model": "X345ERT",
        "location": "front-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X346GRX",
        "location": "front-left"
      },
      {
        "model": "X236DEM",
        "location": "rear-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X987XMV",
        "location": "rear-left"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Get all wheels: Query:

$.car.wheels

Result:

[
  {
    "model": "X345ERT",
    "location": "front-right"
  },
  {
    "model": "X346GRX",
    "location": "front-left"
  },
  {
    "model": "X236DEM",
    "location": "rear-right"
  },
  {
    "model": "X987XMV",
    "location": "rear-left"
  }
]

Get the second wheel (index 1): Query:

$.car.wheels[1]

Result:

[
  {
    "model": "X346GRX",
    "location": "front-left"
  }
]

Get the model of the second wheel: Query:

$.car.wheels[1].model

Result:

["X346GRX"]

Filtering with criteria

Use filters to select array elements that meet expressions.
Filters use the syntax [?(<expression>)].
Inside a filter, @ refers to the current array element.

Example: select numbers greater than 40. Given:

[
  12, 43, 23, 12, 56, 43, 93, 32, 45, 63, 27, 8, 78
]

Query:

$[?(@ > 40)]

Result:

[43,56,43,93,45,63,78]

Common filter operators:

Expression	Meaning
`@ > 40`, `@ < 100`	Numeric comparisons
`@ == 40`, `@ != 40`	Equality / inequality
`@ in [40, 43, 45]`	Membership (support depends on implementation)
`@.prop == "value"`	Compare a property of an object inside an array

Filter operator availability (like in / not in) varies between JSONPath implementations. If a filter doesn’t work in your tool, check that implementation’s documentation.

Filtering objects by property Rather than rely on array order, filter by object properties. For example, find the model where location equals rear-right. Given:

{
  "car": {
    "color": "blue",
    "price": "$20,000",
    "wheels": [
      {
        "model": "X345ERT",
        "location": "front-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X236DEM",
        "location": "rear-right"
      },
      {
        "model": "X346GRX",
        "location": "front-left"
      },
      {
        "model": "X987XMV",
        "location": "rear-left"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Query:

$.car.wheels[?(@.location == "rear-right")].model

Result:

["X236DEM"]

Quick reference: common JSONPath expressions

JSONPath	Description
`$`	Root of the JSON document
`$.prop`	Access top-level property
`$['prop']`	Access property with special characters
`$.arr[0]`	First element of array
`$.arr[0,2]`	Multiple indices
`$.arr[?(@.key == 'value')]`	Filter array by object property
`$.arr[*]`	All elements of an array (wildcard)

Practice exercises and quiz interface

The practice quiz shows the source JSON on the left and the expected output on the right.
Type a JSONPath expression in the answer area; your query is applied automatically and the result updates instantly.
When your query produces the expected output, the question is marked complete.
If you get stuck, use the “Show Solution” button to reveal the correct JSONPath.

Practice portal:

https://kodekloud.com/p/JSON-path-quiz

Lesson

Introduction to JSON Path

Watch Video

Practice Lab