JSON.awk

A practical JSON parser written in awk.

Introduction

JSON.awk is a self-contained, single-file program with no external dependencies. It is similar to JSON.sh, a JSON parser written in Bash -- retrieved on 2013-03-13 to form the basis for JSON.awk. Since then, the two projects have taken separate paths, so you will not find all of JSON.sh features in JSON.awk, and viceversa.

Features

• Single file without external dependencies
• Can parse one or multiple input files within a single invocation
• Callback interface (awk) to hook into parser and output events
• Library of practical callbacks (optional)
• Capture invalid JSON input for further processing
• JSON.sh compatible (as of 2013-03-13) default output format
• Written for POSIX awk; does not require GNU gawk extensions; works with mawk 1.3.4 20150503 and higher (some limitations)
• Choice of MIT or Apache 2 license

Supported Platforms

All OS platforms for which a POSIX awk implementation is available. Special cases:

• FreeBSD »10
• mac OSX »15

Installing

Add files JSON.awk and optionally callbacks.awk to your project and follow the examples.

Usage Examples

For full instructions please read the docs. If you use mawk please read FAQs 6 and 7.

Passing file names as command arguments:

awk -f JSON.awk file1.json [file2.json...]

awk -f JSON.awk - < file.json

cat file.json | awk -f JSON.awk -

Passing file names on stdin:

echo -e "file1.json\nfile2.json" | awk -f JSON.awk

Using callbacks to build a custom application (FAQ 5):

awk -f your-callbacks.awk -f JSON.awk file.json

Applications

• Opera-bookmarks.awk Extract (Chromium) Opera bookmarks and QuickDial thumbnails. Convert bookmark data to SQLite database and CSV file.

Projects known to use JSON.awk

• KindleLauncher a.k.a. KUAL, an application launcher for the Kindle e-ink models, uses JSON.awk to parse menu descriptions.

License

This software is available under the following licenses:

• MIT
• Apache 2

Credits

• JSON.sh's source code, retrieved on 2013-03-13, more than inspired version 1.0 of JSON.awk; without JSON.sh this project would not exist.

• gron for inspiration leading to library module js-dot-path.awk, and for some test files.