JSON not formatted with jq

[theAkito]

What system are you running Yazi on?

Windows WSL

What terminal are you running Yazi in?

nu 0.105.1

yazi --debug output

Yazi
    Version: 25.4.8 (VERGEN_IDEMPOTENT_OUTPUT 2025-04-12)
    Debug  : false
    Triple : x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (linux-x86_64)
    Rustc  : 1.86.0 (05f9846f 2025-03-31)

Ya
    Version: 25.4.8 (VERGEN_IDEMPOTENT_OUTPUT 2025-04-12)

Emulator
    TERM                : Some("xterm-256color")
    TERM_PROGRAM        : None
    TERM_PROGRAM_VERSION: None
    Brand.from_env      : None
    Emulator.detect     : Emulator { kind: Right(Unknown { kgp: false, sixel: true }), light: false, cell_size: Some((8, 18)) }

Adapter
    Adapter.matches    : Sixel
    Dimension.available: WindowSize { rows: 50, columns: 100, width: 800, height: 800 }

Desktop
    XDG_SESSION_TYPE           : None
    WAYLAND_DISPLAY            : Some("wayland-0")
    DISPLAY                    : Some(":0")
    SWAYSOCK                   : None
    HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE: None
    WAYFIRE_SOCKET             : None

SSH
    shared.in_ssh_connection: false

WSL
    WSL: false

Variables
    SHELL           : Some("/home/user/.cargo/bin/nu")
    EDITOR          : None
    VISUAL          : None
    YAZI_FILE_ONE   : Some("/usr/bin/file")
    YAZI_CONFIG_HOME: None
    YAZI_ZOXIDE_OPTS: None
    FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS: None

Text Opener
    default     : Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for_: None, spread: true })
    block-create: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for_: None, spread: true })
    block-rename: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for_: None, spread: true })

Multiplexers
    TMUX               : false
    tmux version       : tmux 3.3a
    tmux build flags   : enable-sixel=Unknown
    ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME: Some("arcadia")
    Zellij version     : 0.42.2

Dependencies
    file          : 5.44
    ueberzugpp    : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    ffmpeg/ffprobe: No such file or directory (os error 2) / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    pdftoppm      : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    magick        : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    fzf           : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    fd/fdfind     : 10.2.0 / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    rg            : 14.1.1
    chafa         : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    zoxide        : 0.9.7
    7zz/7z        : No such file or directory (os error 2) / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    jq            : 2.2.0

Describe the question

Why does yazi not use jq? The JSON content of 100% valid JSON files (checked with file, tried different files, etc.) is never processed through jq. This is obvious, as it, for example, does not even format the JSON content in the preview.

As seen in the debug status, even YAZI_FILE_ONE is set and probably works otherwise.

However, it seems to be very difficult to debug yazi behaviour in such situations.

Anything else?

It would be nice, if there was an option to enable trace log during yazi usage, so it is possible to very precisely see, what this tool is trying to do, when attempting to run certain commands and in which way.

WSL detection is apparently wrong, as well.

Checklist

• I have read all the documentation
• I have searched the existing discussions/issues

[sxyazi]

jq            : 2.2.0

The latest official version of jq is 1.8.1, https://github.com/jqlang/jq/releases

How come yours is 2.2.0? Where did you get it from - are you sure it's actually jq?

[theAkito]

No, I'm not a masochist. I use jaq for Bash scripts, which is jq-compatible. Using it everywhere as a drop-in replacement and it always works.

https://github.com/01mf02/jaq

[sxyazi]

No, jaq is not a dependency of Yazi, what you need is jq.

See https://yazi-rs.github.io/docs/installation for the full list of dependencies.

[theAkito]

@sxyazi

Can you prove, that jaq does not work the same way as jq? Otherwise, your dependency argument has no merit.
You can use jaq as a drop-in replacement. Plus, jq was successfully identified by yazi and yazi did not complain about it, so everything must be fine. Otherwise, yazi would need to run a compatibility check, which would be passed, btw.