> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mikefarah.gitbook.io/yq/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mikefarah.gitbook.io/yq/operators/entries.md).

# Entries

Similar to the same named functions in `jq` these functions convert to/from an object and an array of key-value pairs. This is most useful for performing operations on keys of maps.

Use `with_entries(op)` as a syntactic sugar for doing `to_entries | op | from_entries`.

## to\_entries Map

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a: 1
b: 2
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
- key: a
  value: 1
- key: b
  value: 2
```

## to\_entries Array

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
- a
- b
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
- key: 0
  value: a
- key: 1
  value: b
```

## to\_entries null

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
null
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
```

## from\_entries map

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a: 1
b: 2
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries | from_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
a: 1
b: 2
```

## from\_entries with numeric key indices

from\_entries always creates a map, even for numeric keys

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
- a
- b
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries | from_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
0: a
1: b
```

## Use with\_entries to update keys

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a: 1
b: 2
```

then

```bash
yq 'with_entries(.key |= "KEY_" + .)' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
KEY_a: 1
KEY_b: 2
```

## Use with\_entries to update keys recursively

We use (.. | select(tag="map")) to find all the maps in the doc, then |= to update each one of those maps. In the update, with\_entries is used.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a: 1
b:
  b_a: nested
  b_b: thing
```

then

```bash
yq '(.. | select(tag=="!!map")) |= with_entries(.key |= "KEY_" + .)' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
KEY_a: 1
KEY_b:
  KEY_b_a: nested
  KEY_b_b: thing
```

## Custom sort map keys

Use to\_entries to convert to an array of key/value pairs, sort the array using sort/sort\_by/etc, and convert it back.

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a: 1
c: 3
b: 2
```

then

```bash
yq 'to_entries | sort_by(.key) | reverse | from_entries' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
c: 3
b: 2
a: 1
```

## Use with\_entries to filter the map

Given a sample.yml file of:

```yaml
a:
  b: bird
c:
  d: dog
```

then

```bash
yq 'with_entries(select(.value | has("b")))' sample.yml
```

will output

```yaml
a:
  b: bird
```


---

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