jmespath
JSON Matching Expressions
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. JMESPath is a mature, zero-dependency library in the top 100 most-downloaded PyPI packages with no known vulnerabilities. Install it whenever you need to query or extract data from JSON structures more expressively than manual dict access—it pays for itself on the first non-trivial nested lookup.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies.
- Actively maintained with recent commits and stable production status across modern Python versions.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and proprietary projects.
last release 2026-01-22 (204 days) · last repo commit 2026-04-20 · 2,452 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 652,344,301 downloads/mo, #47 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install jmespath
import jmespath
result = jmespath.search('foo.bar[0].name', {'foo': {'bar': [{'name': 'value'}]}})
print(result) # 'value'
# Or compile for reuse:
expr = jmespath.compile('foo.bar[*].name')
expr.search({'foo': {'bar': [{'name': 'a'}, {'name': 'b'}]}})What it is and what it does
JMESPath is a standalone Python library that implements a query language for JSON documents. You write declarative expressions like `foo.bar[0].name` to extract nested values, filter lists, and project fields from JSON structures without writing loops or conditional logic. The library provides two main entry points: `search()` for one-off queries and `compile()` for reusing parsed expressions across multiple documents, similar to how the `re` module works for regular expressions.
The package supports list indexing (including negative indices), wildcard projections across arrays and objects, and a set of built-in functions for common operations. You can also extend it with custom functions by subclassing the `Functions` class and providing them via an `Options` object. With no external runtime dependencies and support for Python 3.9 through 3.14, it integrates cleanly into any JSON-processing workflow.
Use it for
- Extract specific fields from deeply nested API responses without manual dict traversal.
- Filter and project data from large JSON arrays in data pipelines or ETL workflows.
- Reuse compiled expressions to query multiple documents with the same path pattern.
- Transform JSON structures declaratively in configuration or templating systems.
- Add domain-specific query functions for specialized JSON processing tasks.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
JMESPath is a mature, zero-dependency library in the top 100 most-downloaded PyPI packages with no known vulnerabilities. Install it whenever you need to query or extract data from JSON structures more expressively than manual dict access—it pays for itself on the first non-trivial nested lookup.
Install
jmespath on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent commits and stable production status across modern Python versions.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and proprietary projects.
Quickstart
pip install jmespath
import jmespath
result = jmespath.search('foo.bar[0].name', {'foo': {'bar': [{'name': 'value'}]}})
print(result) # 'value'
# Or compile for reuse:
expr = jmespath.compile('foo.bar[*].name')
expr.search({'foo': {'bar': [{'name': 'a'}, {'name': 'b'}]}})Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 204 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 652,344,301 / month, #47 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPy |
Evidence: jmespath-1.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also jsonpath-ng · repath · jsonpath-rw · jxmlease