$: Root element | .name: Child member | ..name: Recursive descent

$.users[?(@.active)]: Active users | $.orders[?(@.total > 100)]: Orders over 100 | $.items[?(@.tags.indexOf('new') >= 0)]: Items tagged 'new'

JSONPath Cheat Sheet

Query JSON documents with JSONPath selectors and filters.

Core Syntax

Key / Code	Description
$	Root element
.name	Child member
..name	Recursive descent
[*]	All array elements
[0]	Array index
[?()]	Filter expression
@	Current node in filters

Filter Examples

Key / Code	Description
$.users[?(@.active)]	Active users
$.orders[?(@.total > 100)]	Orders over 100
$.items[?(@.tags.indexOf('new') >= 0)]	Items tagged 'new'

Tips

Different libraries vary slightly. Check your JSONPath implementation for supported operators.

When to Use JSONPath

Use JSONPath when you need to inspect API responses, extract nested fields from large payloads, or build lightweight assertions in tests and automation scripts without writing full parser code.

Common JSONPath Mistakes

The biggest source of confusion is library differences: not every implementation supports the same filter syntax, script expressions, or functions. Another frequent issue is forgetting whether the expression should return a scalar value, a node list, or an array of matches.

JSON Formatter

Format and inspect payloads before writing JSONPath expressions.

HTTP Headers Reference

Helpful when the JSON you query comes from HTTP APIs you are debugging.

JWT Claims Reference

A practical example of structured JSON-like payload fields developers inspect often.

Knowledge is power.