---
title: JSON and JSON Lines
description: JSON opens as a tree you can fold, and JSON Lines as a table with one row per line.
sidebar:
  label: JSON and JSON Lines
---

<img className="drop-video" src="/file-types/json.jpg" alt="An order as a foldable tree" />

## JSON

A `.json` file opens as a tree, open two levels deep. Click any object or array to fold it; each one shows how many keys or items it holds.

```bash
jalco-drop response.json
curl -s https://api.example.com/orders/42 | jalco-drop -n order.json
```

A file that doesn't parse, or has more than 20,000 values, opens as highlighted code instead. Some JSON files open as something more specific: a [Playwright report](/file-types/test-reports) as test results, and a `.excalidraw.json` file as a [drawing](/file-types/drawings).

## JSON Lines

A `.jsonl` or `.ndjson` file opens as a table, one row per line and a column for each field. Nested values show as JSON in their cell. The table shows the first 500 rows and 50 columns.

<img className="drop-video" src="/file-types/jsonl.jpg" alt="Request logs as a table, one row per line" />

A session file from Claude Code, Codex or Pi opens as the conversation instead. See [Agent sessions](/file-types/agent-sessions).

## Source and raw

**Source** in the `...` menu, or `?view=source` on the link, shows the file as highlighted code. The raw file is at `/<slug>/<file name>`.