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Guide · Open source

How to use fx: browse and process JSON in the terminal

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

fx is a free, open-source command-line program for reading JSON in the terminal. It gives you an interactive view of JSON data from an API or file, and it can run processing on that data. This guide explains what fx is good for, how to get it, and where to find the detailed usage documentation.

fxantonmedv/fx · ★ 20.7k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Get the binary. Download a release binary for your platform from the GitHub releases page.
  2. 2Clone the repository if needed. Run git clone https://github.com/antonmedv/fx to get the source code.
  3. 3Open a JSON document. Pass your JSON data to fx to view it in the interactive terminal display.
  4. 4Read the docs for processing. Visit https://fx.wtf for the full documentation on running processing on your data.

What fx does and who it is for

fx is a terminal program for browsing JSON. Raw JSON from an API response or a file can be hard to read as plain text, and fx gives you an interactive view you can move through instead.

It suits developers who work with JSON output from APIs or log files in the terminal, and people who prefer keyboard-driven tools.

  • Explore a JSON document interactively instead of reading raw text
  • Stay in the terminal without opening a graphical editor

Install fx from the release binary or the repository

The README says to download a release binary for your platform from the GitHub releases page. The project also lives in a GitHub repository, which you can clone with the command below.

The README does not list any prerequisites for installing fx.

  • Download a release binary for your platform from the GitHub releases page
  • Clone the source repository if you want the code
git clone https://github.com/antonmedv/fx

Learn the processing syntax on fx.wtf

The README is brief and does not describe how to write processing expressions or list the available commands. For full documentation, including how to use fx, go to the project homepage at fx.wtf.

Check the documentation before relying on any specific syntax, since this guide does not cover it.

  • Full documentation is hosted at https://fx.wtf
  • The GitHub README points to that site for details

Compare fx with jq, jiq and gron

The source names jq, jiq and gron as comparable projects. If you mainly need to filter or transform JSON in scripts, jq is the one most often compared with fx. If you want to explore a document interactively, check whether fx's view fits your workflow.

Compare them on the tasks you actually do, since this guide does not benchmark them.

  • jq: a comparable JSON processor
  • jiq: a comparable tool listed alongside fx
  • gron: a comparable tool listed alongside fx

What people use it for

  • Browsing a large JSON response from an API in the terminal
  • Exploring the structure of a JSON file interactively instead of reading raw text
  • Reviewing JSON output from log files without leaving the command line

Frequently asked questions

Is fx free to use?

Yes. fx is licensed under the MIT License, which is a permissive open-source licence. The LICENSE file in the repository contains the terms.

What do I need to install fx?

The README does not list any prerequisites. You download a release binary for your platform from the GitHub releases page, or clone the repository.

Does fx have a graphical interface?

No. fx runs in the terminal, so it is not a graphical JSON editor. If you need a visual editor, fx is not the right tool.

Where is the fx documentation?

The full documentation is at https://fx.wtf. The README is brief and points there for details.

What are alternatives to fx?

The source lists jq, jiq and gron as comparable projects. jq is a common choice for processing JSON in scripts.

Which language is fx written in?

fx is written in Go, according to the project's details.

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Our verdict

fx suits developers and keyboard-focused users who want to browse JSON in the terminal instead of reading raw text. It is not a good fit if you need a graphical JSON editor or detailed processing syntax in the README, since the documentation lives on fx.wtf.

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