Alternatives to gron
A command-line tool that flattens JSON into discrete assignments so it can be searched with grep. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
gron
A command-line tool that flattens JSON into discrete assignments so it can be searched with grep.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as gron.
jq
The command-line JSON processor: slice, filter, map and transform structured data the way sed and awk handle text.
jq replaces grep over flattened paths with a full JSON query and transformation language, which is more powerful but takes practice to learn.
jid
Explore JSON interactively with query suggestions.
jid explores JSON interactively with query suggestions in the terminal rather than producing greppable assignment lines for pipelines.
fx
Inspect JSON interactively from your terminal.
fx lets you inspect JSON interactively in the terminal instead of flattening it for grep, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Also worth comparing
These listings name gron as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
jqp
A terminal user interface for experimenting with jq queries against JSON interactively.
gron flattens JSON into assignments searchable with grep, instead of an interactive jq query preview, and works on Windows too.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
jless
Browse large JSON structures in a keyboard-driven terminal viewer.
gojq
Process JSON with a Go implementation of jq.
jaq
Run jq-style queries through a Rust command-line tool and library.
jc
Convert command output into JSON for easier scripting.
ripgrep
Searches a whole directory tree for a pattern in a fraction of the time grep takes, and skips what gitignore says to skip.
