install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install jless

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install jless

MacPorts ports tree · textproc/jless/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add jless

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · jless · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#jless

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/jl/jless/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S jless

Arch Linux sync databases · jless · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install jless

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · jless · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Command-line pager for JSON data

Project links

Commands and aliases

jless

history

Project history and usage

`jless` is a Rust command-line viewer for JSON data. Its README positions it as a replacement for combinations of `less`, `jq`, `cat`, and an editor when the task is reading, exploring, and searching JSON at the terminal.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created in April 2021. The project developed as a standalone binary with a dedicated site at jless.io and a mascot/logo identity, while its user guide expanded beyond simple viewing into navigation, search, copying, printing, YAML handling, and newline-delimited JSON support.

The release stream visible in the repository tags includes 0.7.x through 0.9.0, with the 0.9.0 GitHub release adding line numbers, deeper collapse and expand commands, print commands, and search/scrolling fixes.

Adoption history

The input package metadata records `jless` in Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, apk, pacman, and zypper. The project README also lists Homebrew, MacPorts, Arch, Void, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Cargo, and prebuilt release binaries, showing the package fits the common 'single fast CLI binary' distribution pattern.

How it is used

`jless` reads JSON from files or standard input, including data piped from APIs, `jq`, or log streams. It focuses on interactive exploration: users expand and collapse objects, move with vim-inspired commands, search across pretty-formatted data, copy JSON paths or values, and switch between data and line display modes.

The user guide also documents YAML input and newline-delimited JSON, which makes the tool useful for structured logs and command-line data inspection beyond one-off pretty printing.

Why package nerds care

`jless` occupies a recognizable niche in the terminal data-toolchain: it is less a transformer like `jq` and more an interactive pager specialized for structured data. That makes it attractive for package collections because it pairs well with curl, `jq`, logs, and API debugging without requiring a language runtime at use time.

Timeline

2021: The GitHub repository is created.
2023: Release v0.9.0 adds line numbers, print commands, deeper collapse and expand commands, and several interaction fixes.
2023: The README documents distribution through multiple OS package managers plus Cargo and prebuilt binaries.

Related projects

The README explicitly names `less`, `jq`, `cat`, and editors as tools `jless` can replace for viewing JSON. The user guide also documents interoperability with `jq` output and refers to the Rust regex engine used for searching.

Sources

Project README, jless user guide, GitHub repository metadata, GitHub release metadata, and Homebrew formula metadata.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 12 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`jless`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.9.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.9.0

https://github.com/PaulJuliusMartinez/jless

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:jless
Version	0.9.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/jless
Homepage	https://jless.io/
Repository	https://github.com/PaulJuliusMartinez/jless
Upstream docs	https://jless.io/user-guide
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/PaulJuliusMartinez/jless/archive/refs/tags/v0.9.0.tar.gz
Build dependencies	rust
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	jless
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

jless

nix profile install nixpkgs#jless

normalized package name match
Matched by: Jless

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/jl/jless/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

jless 0.9.0-r0

command-line pager for JSON data

https://pauljuliusmartinez.github.io/

sudo apk add jless

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: jless
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Jless

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: jless from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

pacman95%

jless 0.9.0-3

A command-line pager for JSON data

https://github.com/PaulJuliusMartinez/jless

sudo pacman -S jless

License: MIT
Architecture: x86_64
4 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Jless

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: jless from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

jless 0.9.0-1.8

Pager for JSON (or YAML) data

https://jless.io/

sudo zypper install jless

License: MIT
Category: Productivity/Text/Utilities
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: jless
4 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Jless

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: jless from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

jless

sudo port install jless

normalized package name match
Matched by: Jless

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: textproc/jless/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/jless.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install jless with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper