jq Tutorial: Parse JSON in the Linux Terminal (curl + GitHub API Demo)
Learn how to parse JSON in the Linux terminal using the jq command-line tool. This hands-on tutorial walks through field access, nested object queries, array iteration, and the all-important -r raw output flag — using a real GitHub API response fetched with curl.
In this lab-style walkthrough you will learn to:
• Check whether jq is installed using `which jq`
• Fetch a live JSON response from the GitHub API with curl
• Inspect raw API output with `head` and `wc -c` before parsing
• Extract a single field with jq's `.field` filter syntax
• Drill into nested objects using paths like `.owner.login`
• Iterate over JSON arrays with `.[ ]` and the pipe operator
• Strip quotes from string output using the `-r` raw output flag
• Confirm HTTP status codes with curl's `-w %{http_code}` flag
Who this is for: developers, sysadmins, DevOps engineers, and IT students who work with JSON APIs in Linux shell scripts, automation pipelines, or day-to-day terminal work.
Which jq filter do you reach for most often — a simple `.field`, a deep nested path, or an array iteration? Drop your favorite one-liner in the comments below.
If this helped you parse JSON faster from the command line, subscribe for more Linux, DevOps, and shell scripting tutorials.
#linux #jq #json #curl #devops #bash #shellscripting #apitools
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