json-yaml-tools

name	json-yaml-tools
description	Parse, validate, format, and transform JSON and YAML data. Use when user asks to work with JSON/YAML, validate config files, convert between formats, or extract data.
version	1.0.0
author	deskwand
license	MIT
metadata	{"tags":["JSON","YAML","Data","Parsing","Validation","Transformation"]}
allowed-tools	read,write,shell

JSON & YAML Tools

Work with structured data formats.

When to use

• User provides JSON/YAML and wants it formatted/validated
• User wants to extract fields from JSON/YAML
• User wants to convert between JSON ↔ YAML
• User asks "is this valid JSON?"
• Config file inspection and validation

---

Validation

JSON

# Validate syntax
python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('file.json')); print('Valid JSON')"

# Or with jq
cat file.json | python3 -m json.tool > /dev/null && echo "Valid" || echo "Invalid"

YAML

# Validate syntax
python3 -c "import yaml; yaml.safe_load(open('file.yaml')); print('Valid YAML')"

---

Formatting & Pretty-Print

JSON

# Pretty-print
python3 -m json.tool file.json

# Compact (minified)
python3 -c "import json; print(json.dumps(json.load(open('file.json')), separators=(',', ':')))"

YAML

# Convert JSON to YAML
python3 -c "
import json, yaml, sys
data = json.load(open('file.json'))
yaml.dump(data, sys.stdout, default_flow_style=False, allow_unicode=True)
"

---

Data Extraction

JSON

# Extract a field (with jq-like Python)
python3 -c "
import json
data = json.load(open('file.json'))
print(data['path']['to']['field'])
"

# List all top-level keys
python3 -c "
import json
data = json.load(open('file.json'))
print('\n'.join(data.keys()) if isinstance(data, dict) else 'Not an object')
"

YAML

# Extract a specific key
python3 -c "
import yaml
data = yaml.safe_load(open('file.yaml'))
print(data.get('key_name', 'Not found'))
"

---

Conversion

From	To	Command
JSON	YAML	python3 -c "import json,yaml; yaml.dump(json.load(open('f.json')), ...)"
YAML	JSON	python3 -c "import json,yaml; json.dump(yaml.safe_load(open('f.yaml')), ...)"
JSON	CSV	Flatten and write manually (structure-dependent)
CSV	JSON	Read CSV with csv module, dump as JSON

---

Common Patterns

# Count items in JSON array
python3 -c "import json; print(len(json.load(open('f.json'))))"

# Check if key exists
python3 -c "import json; print('key' in json.load(open('f.json')))"

# Merge two JSON files (shallow)
python3 -c "
import json
a = json.load(open('a.json'))
b = json.load(open('b.json'))
print(json.dumps({**a, **b}, indent=2))
"

---

Constraints

• Always validate before transforming
• Large files (>10MB): use streaming parsers or warn user
• YAML: always use safe_load (never load — security risk)
• Never modify original files unless user explicitly requests it