fq

jq for binary formats

TLDR

Inspect a binary file

$ fq . [file]

Decode specific format

$ fq -d [mp4|flac|jpeg|...] . [file]

Query specific fields

$ fq '.tracks[0].duration' [file]

Open interactive REPL

$ fq -i [file]

fq is a tool for inspecting binary files using a jq-like query language. It can decode and query over 100 different binary formats including MP4, FLAC, JPEG, PCAP, ELF, and many more.The tool provides a REPL with autocomplete, allowing interactive exploration of binary structures. It's useful for debugging, reverse engineering, and understanding file formats.

PARAMETERS

-d, --decode FORMAT

Decode as specific format

-i, --interactive

Start interactive REPL

-n, --null-input

Use null as input value

-r, --raw-output

Output raw strings

-c, --compact-output

Compact output (no pretty print)

--help

Display help and exit

--version

Display version and exit

USAGE

Basic inspection:

$ fq . file.mp4

Query specific field:

$ fq '.meta.moov.tracks[0].mdia.minf.stbl.sample_descriptions[0].width' video.mp4

Decode as raw bytes:

$ fq -d raw '.[0:10]' file

List supported formats:

$ fq -h

INSTALL

sudo apt install fq

sudo pacman -S fq

sudo zypper install fq

brew install fq

nix profile install nixpkgs#fq

CAVEATS

Large files may consume significant memory. Some formats have incomplete support. Binary data output may require terminal with proper encoding support. Complex nested queries can be slow.

HISTORY

fq was created by Mattias Wadman and first released in 2021, bringing the power of jq to binary data and making it easier to inspect and understand binary file formats without specialized tools.

fq