Encode / Decode

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Encode / Decode

Encode operators will take the piped in object structure and encode it as a string in the desired format. The decode operators do the opposite, they take a formatted string and decode it into the relevant object structure.
Note that you can optionally pass an indent value to the encode functions (see below).
These operators are useful to process yaml documents that have stringified embedded yaml/json/props in them.
Format
Decode (from string)
Encode (to string)
Yaml
from_yaml/@yamld
to_yaml(i)/@yaml
JSON
from_json/@jsond
to_json(i)/@json
Properties
from_props/@propsd
to_props/@props
CSV
from_csv/@csvd
to_csv/@csv
TSV
from_tsv/@tsvd
to_tsv/@tsv
XML
from_xml/@xmld
to_xml(i)/@xml
Base64
@base64d
@base64
See CSV and TSV documentation for accepted formats.
XML uses the --xml-attribute-prefix and xml-content-name flags to identify attributes and content fields.
Base64 assumes rfc4648 encoding. Encoding and decoding both assume that the content is a string.
Note that versions prior to 4.18 require the 'eval/e' command to be specified.
yq e <exp> <file>
Encode value as json string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool: thing
then
yq '.b = (.a | to_json)' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  {
    "cool": "thing"
  }
Encode value as json string, on one line
Pass in a 0 indent to print json on a single line.
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool: thing
then
yq '.b = (.a | to_json(0))' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool: thing
b: '{"cool":"thing"}'
Encode value as json string, on one line shorthand
Pass in a 0 indent to print json on a single line.
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool: thing
then
yq '.b = (.a | @json)' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool: thing
b: '{"cool":"thing"}'
Decode a json encoded string
Keep in mind JSON is a subset of YAML. If you want idiomatic yaml, pipe through the style operator to clear out the JSON styling.
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: '{"cool":"thing"}'
then
yq '.a | from_json | ... style=""' sample.yml
will output
cool: thing
Encode value as props string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool: thing
then
yq '.b = (.a | @props)' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool: thing
b: |
  cool = thing
Decode props encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: |-
  cats=great
  dogs=cool as well
then
yq '.a |= @propsd' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cats: great
  dogs: cool as well
Decode csv encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: |-
  cats,dogs
  great,cool as well
then
yq '.a |= @csvd' sample.yml
will output
a:
  - cats: great
    dogs: cool as well
Decode tsv encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: |-
  cats	dogs
  great	cool as well
then
yq '.a |= @tsvd' sample.yml
will output
a:
  - cats: great
    dogs: cool as well
Encode value as yaml string
Indent defaults to 2
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool:
    bob: dylan
then
yq '.b = (.a | to_yaml)' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool:
    bob: dylan
b: |
  cool:
    bob: dylan
Encode value as yaml string, with custom indentation
You can specify the indentation level as the first parameter.
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool:
    bob: dylan
then
yq '.b = (.a | to_yaml(8))' sample.yml
will output
a:
  cool:
    bob: dylan
b: |
  cool:
          bob: dylan
Decode a yaml encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: 'foo: bar'
then
yq '.b = (.a | from_yaml)' sample.yml
will output
a: 'foo: bar'
b:
  foo: bar
Update a multiline encoded yaml string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: |
  foo: bar
  baz: dog
then
yq '.a |= (from_yaml | .foo = "cat" | to_yaml)' sample.yml
will output
a: |
  foo: cat
  baz: dog
Update a single line encoded yaml string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: 'foo: bar'
then
yq '.a |= (from_yaml | .foo = "cat" | to_yaml)' sample.yml
will output
a: 'foo: cat'
Encode array of scalars as csv string
Scalars are strings, numbers and booleans.
Given a sample.yml file of:
- cat
- thing1,thing2
- true
- 3.40
then
yq '@csv' sample.yml
will output
cat,"thing1,thing2",true,3.40
Encode array of arrays as csv string
Given a sample.yml file of:
- - cat
  - thing1,thing2
  - true
  - 3.40
- - dog
  - thing3
  - false
  - 12
then
yq '@csv' sample.yml
will output
cat,"thing1,thing2",true,3.40
dog,thing3,false,12
Encode array of array scalars as tsv string
Scalars are strings, numbers and booleans.
Given a sample.yml file of:
- - cat
  - thing1,thing2
  - true
  - 3.40
- - dog
  - thing3
  - false
  - 12
then
yq '@tsv' sample.yml
will output
cat	thing1,thing2	true	3.40
dog	thing3	false	12
Encode value as xml string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool:
    foo: bar
    +id: hi
then
yq '.a | to_xml' sample.yml
will output
<cool id="hi">
  <foo>bar</foo>
</cool>
Encode value as xml string on a single line
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool:
    foo: bar
    +id: hi
then
yq '.a | @xml' sample.yml
will output
<cool id="hi"><foo>bar</foo></cool>
Encode value as xml string with custom indentation
Given a sample.yml file of:
a:
  cool:
    foo: bar
    +id: hi
then
yq '{"cat": .a | to_xml(1)}' sample.yml
will output
cat: |
  <cool id="hi">
   <foo>bar</foo>
  </cool>
Decode a xml encoded string
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: <foo>bar</foo>
then
yq '.b = (.a | from_xml)' sample.yml
will output
a: <foo>bar</foo>
b:
  foo: bar
Encode a string to base64
Given a sample.yml file of:
coolData: a special string
then
yq '.coolData | @base64' sample.yml
will output
YSBzcGVjaWFsIHN0cmluZw==
Encode a yaml document to base64
Pipe through @yaml first to convert to a string, then use @base64 to encode it.
Given a sample.yml file of:
a: apple
then
yq '@yaml | @base64' sample.yml
will output
YTogYXBwbGUK
Decode a base64 encoded string
Decoded data is assumed to be a string.
Given a sample.yml file of:
coolData: V29ya3Mgd2l0aCBVVEYtMTYg8J+Yig==
then
yq '.coolData | @base64d' sample.yml
will output
Works with UTF-16 😊
Decode a base64 encoded yaml document
Pipe through from_yaml to parse the decoded base64 string as a yaml document.
Given a sample.yml file of:
coolData: YTogYXBwbGUK
then
yq '.coolData |= (@base64d | from_yaml)' sample.yml
will output
coolData:
  a: apple

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Encode value as json string

Encode value as json string, on one line

Encode value as json string, on one line shorthand

Decode a json encoded string

Encode value as props string

Decode props encoded string

Decode csv encoded string

Decode tsv encoded string

Encode value as yaml string

Encode value as yaml string, with custom indentation

Decode a yaml encoded string

Update a multiline encoded yaml string

Update a single line encoded yaml string

Encode array of scalars as csv string

Encode array of arrays as csv string

Encode array of array scalars as tsv string

Encode value as xml string

Encode value as xml string on a single line

Encode value as xml string with custom indentation

Decode a xml encoded string

Encode a string to base64

Encode a yaml document to base64

Decode a base64 encoded string

Decode a base64 encoded yaml document