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.TH "CTAGS-JSON-OUTPUT" "5" "" "1.0" "Universal Ctags"
.SH NAME
ctags-json-output \- JSON based ctags output
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
\fBctags\fP \-\-output\-format=json ...
.fi
.sp
.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
Universal Ctags supports JSON <https://www.json.org/>
 (strictly
speaking JSON Lines <https://jsonlines.org/>
) output format if the
ctags executable is built with \fBlibjansson\fP\&.  JSON output goes to
standard output by default.
.SH FORMAT
.sp
Each JSON line represents a tag.
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
.sp
.EX
$ ctags \-\-extras=+p \-\-output\-format=json \-\-fields=\-s input.py
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqptag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqJSON_OUTPUT_VERSION\(dq, \(dqpath\(dq: \(dq1.0\(dq, \(dqpattern\(dq: \(dqin development\(dq}
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqptag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqTAG_FILE_SORTED\(dq, \(dqpath\(dq: \(dq1\(dq, \(dqpattern\(dq: \(dq0=unsorted, 1=sorted, 2=foldcase\(dq}
\&...
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqtag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqKlass\(dq, \(dqpath\(dq: \(dq/tmp/input.py\(dq, \(dqpattern\(dq: \(dq/^class Klass:$/\(dq, \(dqlanguage\(dq: \(dqPython\(dq, \(dqkind\(dq: \(dqclass\(dq}
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqtag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqmethod\(dq, \(dqpath\(dq: \(dq/tmp/input.py\(dq, \(dqpattern\(dq: \(dq/^    def method(self):$/\(dq, \(dqlanguage\(dq: \(dqPython\(dq, \(dqkind\(dq: \(dqmember\(dq, \(dqscope\(dq: \(dqKlass\(dq, \(dqscopeKind\(dq: \(dqclass\(dq}
\&...
.EE
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.sp
A key not starting with \fB_\fP is mapped to a field of ctags.
\(dq\fB\-\-output\-format=json \-\-list\-fields\fP\(dq options list the fields.
.sp
A key starting with \fB_\fP represents meta information of the JSON
line.  Currently only \fB_type\fP key is used. If the value for the key
is \fBtag\fP, the JSON line represents a regular tag. If the value is
\fBptag\fP, the line represents a pseudo\-tag.
.sp
The output format can be changed in the
future. \fBJSON_OUTPUT_VERSION\fP pseudo\-tag provides a change
client\-tools to handle the changes.  Current version is \(dq1.0\(dq. A
client\-tool can extract the version with \fBpath\fP key from the
pseudo\-tag.
.sp
The JSON output format is newly designed and has no limitation found
in the default tags file format.
.INDENT 0.0
.IP \(bu 2
The values for \fBkind\fP key are represented in long\-name flags.
No one\-letter is here.
.IP \(bu 2
Scope names and scope kinds have distinguished keys: \fBscope\fP and \fBscopeKind\fP\&.
They are combined in the default tags file format.
.UNINDENT
.SH DATA TYPE USED IN A FIELD
.sp
Values for the most of all keys are represented in JSON string type.
However, some of them are represented in string, integer, and/or boolean type.
.sp
\(dq\fB\-\-output\-format=json \-\-list\-fields\fP\(dq options show What kind of data type
used in a field of JSON.
.INDENT 0.0
.INDENT 3.5
.sp
.EX
$ ctags \-\-output\-format=json \-\-list\-fields
#LETTER NAME           ENABLED LANGUAGE         JSTYPE FIXED DESCRIPTION
F       input          yes     NONE             s\-\-    no    input file
\&...
P       pattern        yes     NONE             s\-b    no    pattern
\&...
f       file           yes     NONE             \-\-b    no    File\-restricted scoping
\&...
e       end            no      NONE             \-i\-    no    end lines of various items
\&...
.EE
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.sp
\fBJSTYPE\fP column shows the data types.
.INDENT 0.0
.TP
.B \(aq\fBs\fP\(aq
string
.TP
.B \(aq\fBi\fP\(aq
integer
.TP
.B \(aq\fBb\fP\(aq
boolean (true or false)
.UNINDENT
.sp
For an example, the value for \fBpattern\fP field of ctags takes a string or a boolean value.
.SH VERSIONS
.SS Change since \(dq0.0\(dq
.INDENT 0.0
.IP \(bu 2
New key \fBkindName\fP for \fBTAG_ROLE_DESCRIPTION\fP pseudo tag
.sp
\fBkindName\fP is added to store the name of the kind in \fBTAG_ROLE_DESCRIPTION\fP
pseudo tags.
.sp
In 0.0, a \(dqTAG_ROLE_DESCRIPTION\(dq pseudo tag was printed like:
.INDENT 2.0
.INDENT 3.5
.sp
.EX
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqptag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqTAG_ROLE_DESCRIPTION\(dq,
                  \(dqparserName\(dq: \(dqLANG!KIND\(dq, }
.EE
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.sp
In 1.0, it is printed like:
.INDENT 2.0
.INDENT 3.5
.sp
.EX
{\(dq_type\(dq: \(dqptag\(dq, \(dqname\(dq: \(dqTAG_ROLE_DESCRIPTION\(dq,
                  \(dqparserName\(dq: \(dqLANG\(dq,
                  \(dqkindName\(dq: \(dqKIND\(dq,  }
.EE
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.UNINDENT
.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
ctags(1), tags(5), ctags\-client\-tools(7)
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