jq vs JSON Editor
jq
jqlang.orgJSON Editor
github.comSide by side
| Figure | jq | JSON Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · JSON Tools | 8.8 (#2) | 7.5 (#18) |
| Distribution | The download page lists installation through Linux distribution repositories, Homebrew, MacPorts, Fink, winget, Scoop, and Chocolatey. | The library can be installed with npm, loaded from a CDN, or downloaded for local use. |
| License | jq code is licensed under the MIT license, while its documentation is licensed under CC-BY-3.0. | The project is released under the MIT License, which permits use, modification, distribution, and sale subject to its terms. |
| Purpose | jq is a lightweight, flexible command-line JSON processor for slicing, filtering, mapping, and transforming structured data. | JSON Editor generates an HTML form from a JSON Schema. |
| Security | SHA-256 checksums are provided for release and pre-release binaries, and release artifacts are signed by a jq release key. | The README lists DOMPurify as an optional integration for sanitizing HTML used in titles, headers, and descriptions. |
| Support | The project points users to Stack Overflow, the #jq Libera.Chat channel, and its Discord server for questions and discussion. | The maintainers state that they accept and review community pull requests and address critical bugs and security issues. |
Plans
In their own words
jq
jq is a free command-line processor for selecting and transforming JSON data. A jq filter takes an input and produces output; filters can be combined to access nested attributes, construct objects, gather results into arrays, or make other transformations. It reads whitespace-separated JSON values and writes serialized results separated by whitespace. Each expression runs on each input value and may produce zero or more outputs. For very large inputs, the --stream option parses incrementally. Output options include compact, raw, ASCII, sorted-key, and colored forms. Written in portable C, jq has no runtime dependencies, and a standalone binary can be copied to another machine of the same type. Standalone executables are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with packages listed for Linux distributions and package managers including Homebrew, MacPorts, winget, Scoop, and Chocolatey. A Docker image is also available. Release binaries have SHA-256 checksums, and signed release artifacts use jq release keys. The code is licensed under MIT; the documentation uses CC-BY-3.0.
JSON Editor
JSON Editor is a free JavaScript library that generates an HTML form from a JSON Schema. It supports JSON Schema versions 3 and 4, plus some hyper-schema features, and provides validation for the current form value or another supplied value. Themes include HTML, Bootstrap 3, Bootstrap 4, Bootstrap 5, Spectre, Tailwind, and barebones. Optional integrations cover JavaScript template engines, CSS frameworks, icon libraries, and editors such as Ace, SimpleMDE, and SCEditor. You can install the library with npm, load it from a CDN, or download it for local use. It has no dependencies and requires a modern browser; Chrome and Firefox are listed as tested browsers. External schema references are supported, although cross-origin requests need suitable headers or supplied references. The project is in maintenance mode, with active development moved to Jedison. Maintainers continue reviewing community pull requests and handling critical bugs and security issues. The MIT License permits use, modification, distribution, and sale under its terms.