Install gron with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper

Project links

• Homepage
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• gron

Project history

The GitHub repository was created in 2012, and the public release series began in 2016 with 0.1.x tags. The README's core idea has stayed compact: transform JSON into discrete assignments so users can grep for values and see the absolute path to each match.

gron also works in reverse through `--ungron`, turning filtered assignment output back into JSON. That reverse path is central to the design because it lets users combine JSON with existing Unix filters rather than learning a full query language for every quick inspection task.

The implementation is distributed as a self-contained Go binary with no runtime dependencies, which helped the tool spread through package managers across Unix, macOS, Windows, and source-based ecosystems.

Adoption history

gron became popular among developers, shell users, site-reliability engineers, and security researchers who often receive large JSON blobs from APIs but do not know the object structure before exploring it. It complements rather than replaces jq: jq is a programmable JSON processor, while gron makes unknown JSON searchable with familiar line-oriented tools.

Its package-manager footprint is unusually broad for a small CLI. The input record lists Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, MacPorts, Nix, Alpine, Arch, Scoop, winget, and openSUSE packaging, reflecting a tool that is useful wherever JSON and shell pipelines meet.

How it is used

A common workflow is `curl ... | gron | grep name` to discover paths inside a JSON response, then use the matching assignment path as a guide for a more precise query or transform. The README also shows file, URL, and standard-input modes.

The `--ungron` mode supports round-tripping filtered data back to JSON, and `--json` emits a stream form for users who prefer machine-readable path/value rows. gron is often used as an exploratory bridge between raw JSON and more precise tools such as jq.

Why package nerds care

gron is a package-nerd favorite because it is tiny, memorable, and aggressively Unix-shaped. It makes structured data line-oriented without asking users to abandon grep, diff, shell redirection, or muscle memory.

It is also a good example of package metadata telling a richer story than a homepage alone: one executable, MIT license, no runtime dependencies, many package managers, and a single problem statement that explains the whole tool.

Timeline

• 2012: The GitHub repository was created.
• 2016: gron 0.1.0 was published on GitHub releases.
• 2016: Rapid 0.1.x releases refined the initial binary distribution.
• 2018: Release notes recorded fixes tied to Go toolchain behavior.
• 2020s: gron remained widely packaged across Linux distributions, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, winget, and other ecosystems.

Related projects

• Related command-line tools include jq, jid, jc, fx, dasel, jello, yq, grep, sed, awk, and diff.
• Related reimplementations and ports include fastgron, rust-gron, and library packages inspired by gron's path/value representation.

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/tomnomnom/gron
• https://api.github.com/repos/tomnomnom/gron/releases
• https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron
• https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron#readme
• https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron/releases