jq

Installation
SKILL.md

x jq - JSON Processor (AI Optimized)

x jq is an enhanced module based on jq, with the core advantage of zero-dependency auto-installation and optimization for scripted tasks. It ensures JSON can be processed immediately in any environment.

When to Activate

  • When specific fields need to be extracted from complex JSON responses.
  • When JSON structures need to be filtered, restructured, or transformed.
  • When unformatted JSON strings need to be beautified for further analysis.
  • When processing results need to be output as raw strings (-r) for other commands.

Core Principles & Rules

  • Non-interactive First: AI should avoid the interactive repl mode and use jq expressions directly.
  • Pipe Integration: Recommended for use with pipes, e.g., cat data.json | x jq '.field'.
  • Format Control:
    • Use -r (raw-output) for raw values without quotes (ideal for getting single string values).
    • Use -c (compact-output) for compact one-line JSON to save context Tokens.
  • Environment Isolation: x jq automatically downloads and runs jq when necessary, without polluting the system environment.

Patterns & Examples

Extract and Output Raw String

# Get the value of the 'version' field (no quotes, suitable for script use)
x jq -r '.version' package.json

Filter Array and Compact Output

# Filter and output as a compact one-line JSON to save Tokens
x jq -c '.items[] | select(.status == "active")' data.json

Construct New JSON Object

# Construct a new object containing status and timestamp
x jq -n --arg ts "$(date)" '{"status": "ok", "timestamp": $ts}'

Process Multiple Files

# Merge and process multiple JSON files
x jq -s '.[0] * .[1]' config1.json config2.json

Checklist

  • Confirm that a non-interactive command is used (no r or repl).
  • Consider if -r is needed for plain text values.
  • Consider if -c is needed to reduce output volume.
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Apr 10, 2026