A script to "flatten" and "unflatten" JSON structures

flatten.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Convert json data to a dotted notation for line-based manipulation and visualization
#
# Adapted from dialog here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20245913
# jq code by @jolmg
#

flat() {
  jq -r '
    tostream
    | select(length > 1)
    | (
      .[0] | map(
        if type == "number"
        then "[" + tostring + "]"
        else "." + .
        end
      ) | join("")
    ) + " = " + (.[1] | @json)
  ' $@
}

fat() {
  # bsd sed chokes on our the append '$a.', so we have a kludge for it
  # gsed is gnu-sed, and we're not guaranteed to have it.
  # keeping it here and commented out as a reminder to remedy someday
  #jq "$(gsed 's/$/ |/; $a.')" <<< '{}'
  jq "$(sed -e 's/$/ |/' ; echo "." )" <<< '{}'
}

if [[ $1 == "-u" ]]; then
   shift
   fat $@
   exit
fi

flat $@

Nice, thanks for sharing!