# Install gron with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper Make JSON greppable. Version 0.7.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:gron ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install gron ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install gron ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: textproc/gron/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add gron ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gron from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install gron ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: gron from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#gron ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gr/gron/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S gron ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: gron from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install gron ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gron from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/gron ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/gron.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id TomHudson.gron -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: TomHudson.gron from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:gron - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.7.1 - **Source summary:** Make JSON greppable - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - gron (cli) - gron (alias) ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 0.7.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - Upstream latest detected: v0.7.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage gron is Tom Hudson's command-line utility for turning JSON into assignment-like lines that work naturally with grep, diff, sed, awk, and other text tools. ### 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 - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** gron - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - gron - 0.7.1-2+b8: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: gron from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | tool to transform JSON into discrete, greppable assignments | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - Nix - gron: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/gr/gron/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - gron - 0.7.1-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: gron from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | tool to transform JSON into discrete, greppable assignments | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - apk - gron - 0.7.1-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gron from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Make JSON greppable | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - apk - gron-doc - 0.7.1-r6: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gron-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Make JSON greppable (documentation) | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - pacman - gron - 0.7.1-3: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: gron from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Makes JSON greppable | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - zypper - gron - 0.7.1-1.16: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gron from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Make JSON greppable | https://github.com/tomnomnom/gron - MacPorts - gron: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: textproc/gron/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/gron: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/gron.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - TomHudson.gron: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: TomHudson.gron from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [jaq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jaq/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data-processing, developer-tools, json. - [fracturedjson](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fracturedjson/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tool, developer-tools, json. - [yq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/yq/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data-processing, developer-tools, json. - [dasel](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dasel/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, data-processing, developer-tools, json. - [gojq](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gojq/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, json. - [jid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, json. - [jnv](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jnv/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, json. - [jo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, json. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/gron.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/gron.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph