Git Bash: Install jq

jq is a command-line tool for parsing a JSON data (like grep or sed for a text data).

You can use the jq command on Windows using a Git Bash, but firstly it has to be installed as it is not among the default tools.

This note shows how to install the jq for the Git Bash on Windows.

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Git Bash: Install jq

Start the Git Bash and create a /usr/local/bin directory, where the jq will be installed:

User@Computer MINGW64 ~
$ mkdir -p "${EXEPATH}/usr/local/bin"

Download the jq executable for Windows and copy it to the Git Bash’s /usr/local/bin directory using the curl command below:

User@Computer MINGW64 ~
$ curl -L -o /usr/local/bin/jq.exe \
             https://github.com/stedolan/jq/releases/latest/download/jq-win64.exe

With the URL above you will always get the latest official release of the jq for Windows.

If you don’t have permissions to run these command, start the Git Bash as administrator:

  1. Press ⊞ Win keybutton to open the start menu
  2. Type in gitbash to search for the command prompt
  3. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run the Git Bash as administrator

Check the jq version from the Git Bash to ensure that it has successfully been installed:

User@Computer MINGW64 ~
$ jq --version
- sample output -
jq-1.6

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2 Replies to “Git Bash: Install jq”

  1. Thanks for this, you just saved the day!!!

  2. Thank you, this helped

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