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jq Built-In Debugging Features: Tracing, Disassembly, and Runtime Inspection

April 11, 2026 jqlang/jq ↗

jq provides three complementary debugging mechanisms—execution tracing via --debug-trace, bytecode inspection via --debug-dump-disasm, and inline value logging via the debug builtin—that allow developers to introspect both compiled programs and running filters.

The jq command-line JSON processor includes a lightweight but powerful debugging subsystem implemented across its core interpreter. These jq built-in debugging features enable step-by-step execution tracing, static bytecode analysis, and programmable runtime logging without requiring external tools.

Command-Line Debug Flags and Execution Tracing

jq defines three debug trace levels in [`

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