pick

Extract values from anything — JSON, YAML, TOML, .env, HTTP headers, logfmt, CSV, and more.

npm install -g @aryanbhosale/pick

pick auto-detects the input format and lets you extract, filter, and transform values using a unified selector syntax. Think of it as jq for all config formats.

Usage

# JSON
curl -s https://api.github.com/users/octocat | pick login
# octocat

# .env
cat .env | pick DATABASE_URL
# postgres://localhost:5432/mydb

# YAML
cat config.yaml | pick server.port
# 8080

# TOML
cat Cargo.toml | pick package.version
# 0.1.0

# HTTP headers
curl -sI https://example.com | pick content-type
# text/html; charset=UTF-8

# logfmt
echo 'level=info msg="request handled" status=200' | pick status
# 200

# CSV
cat data.csv | pick '[0].name'
# Alice

Selectors

| Syntax | Description | |---|---| | foo | Top-level key | | foo.bar | Nested key | | foo[0] | Array index | | foo[-1] | Last element | | foo[*].name | All elements, pluck field | | foo[1:3] | Array slice (elements 1 and 2) | | ..name | Recursive descent — find name at any depth | | [0] | Index into root array | | "dotted.key".sub | Quoted key (for keys containing dots) | | name, age | Multiple selectors (union) |

Pipes & Filters

# Filter: find expensive items
cat data.json | pick 'items[*] | select(.price > 100) | name'

# Regex match
cat data.json | pick 'items[*] | select(.email ~ "@gmail") | name'

# Boolean logic
cat data.json | pick 'users[*] | select(.age >= 18 and .active) | name'

# Builtins
cat config.json | pick 'keys()'
cat config.json | pick 'dependencies | length()'

Mutation

# Set a value
cat config.json | pick 'set(.version, "2.0")' --json

# Delete a key
cat config.json | pick 'del(.temp)' --json

Output Formats

cat data.json | pick -o yaml    # Convert to YAML
cat data.json | pick -o toml    # Convert to TOML

Streaming (JSONL)

cat events.jsonl | pick 'user.name' --stream
cat logs.jsonl | pick 'select(.level == "error") | message' --stream

Flags

| Flag | Description | |---|---| | -i, --input <format> | Force input format (json, yaml, toml, env, headers, logfmt, csv, text) | | -o, --output <format> | Output format (json, yaml, toml) | | -f, --file <path> | Read from file instead of stdin | | --json | Output result as JSON | | --raw | Output without trailing newline | | -1, --first | Only first result | | --lines | One element per line | | -d, --default <value> | Fallback value | | -q, --quiet | Suppress error messages | | -e, --exists | Check if selector matches (exit code only) | | -c, --count | Count matches | | --stream | Stream mode: process JSONL line-by-line |

Supported Formats

JSON, YAML, TOML, .env, HTTP headers, logfmt, CSV/TSV, and plain text. Format is auto-detected — use -i to override.

Links

• Documentation & examples
• GitHub
• Issues
• Changelog

License

MIT