From: David Schweikert <david@schweikert.ch>
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2025 12:47:37 +0000 (+0100)
Subject: JSON format documentation
X-Git-Tag: v5.5~24
X-Git-Url: https://git.gsnw.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=commitdiff_plain;h=f57a517fd98b061789e3377f0a693f791e01ff34;p=fping.git

JSON format documentation
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+# fping JSON Output Format
+last updated for: fping 5.5
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> The JSON output feature is currently in **alpha**. The format is subject to change in future versions.
+
+When using the `--json` (or `-J`) option, fping outputs results as a **stream of JSON objects**, separated by newlines. Each line in the output is a valid, independent JSON document representing a specific event or statistic.
+
+## General Format
+
+Every JSON object output by fping follows the following pattern:
+
+```json
+{ "type": { "field1": "value1", "field2": "value2" } }
+```
+
+Where `type` identifies the type of the object (e.g., `resp`, `summary`) and the inner object contains the fields relevant to that type.
+
+## Forward Compatibility
+
+Any unknown object types and any unknown fields should be ignored for forward-compatibility (we might add new objects and fields to objects over time).
+
+## Example
+
+Here is an example of the output when using `-c 3` (count 3 pings):
+
+```bash
+$ fping -J -c3 8.8.8.8
+{"resp": {"host": "8.8.8.8", "seq": 0, "size": 64, "rtt": 5.12}}
+{"resp": {"host": "8.8.8.8", "seq": 1, "size": 64, "rtt": 5.13}}
+{"resp": {"host": "8.8.8.8", "seq": 2, "size": 64, "rtt": 5.14}}
+{"summary": {"host": "8.8.8.8", "xmt": 3, "rcv": 3, "loss": 0, "rttMin": 5.12, "rttAvg": 5.13, "rttMax": 5.14}}
+```
+
+## JSON Object Types
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> In the actual output, each JSON object is compacted onto a single line. The examples in this document are formatted across multiple lines for readability.
+
+The following top-level keys identify the type of information contained in each JSON object:
+
+*   `resp`: Response to a ping packet.
+*   `timeout`: Timeout waiting for a packet response.
+*   `summary`: Summary statistics for a host (used with `-c`).
+*   `vSum`: Summary of all RTT values for a host (used with `-C`).
+*   `globalSum`: Global statistics for the entire run (used with `-s`).
+*   `intSum`: Interval summary statistics (used with `-Q`).
+
+### `resp`: Response
+
+Generated when a ping reply is received.
+
+```json
+{
+  "resp": {
+    "host": "127.0.0.1",
+    "seq": 0,
+    "size": 64,
+    "rtt": 0.054
+  }
+}
+```
+
+*   `host`: Target hostname or IP.
+*   `seq`: Sequence number of the packet (0-indexed).
+*   `size`: Size of the received packet in bytes.
+*   `rtt`: Round-trip time in milliseconds.
+
+**Optional Fields:**
+
+*   `timestamps`: If ICMP timestamp requests are used (`--icmp-timestamp`), contains `originate`, `receive`, `transmit`, and `localreceive` timestamps.
+*   `tos`: If `--print-tos` is used, contains the Type of Service value.
+*   `ttl`: If `--print-ttl` is used, contains the Time To Live value.
+
+### `timeout`: Timeout
+
+Generated when a packet times out.
+
+```json
+{
+  "timeout": {
+    "host": "127.0.0.1",
+    "seq": 0
+  }
+}
+```
+
+*   `host`: Target hostname or IP.
+*   `seq`: Sequence number of the timed-out packet.
+
+### `summary`: Host Summary
+
+Generated at end of execution (or interval) when using `-c` (count mode).
+
+```json
+{
+  "summary": {
+    "host": "127.0.0.1",
+    "xmt": 5,
+    "rcv": 5,
+    "loss": 0,
+    "outage(ms)": 0,
+    "rttMin": 0.045,
+    "rttAvg": 0.062,
+    "rttMax": 0.081
+  }
+}
+```
+
+*   `xmt`: Packets transmitted.
+*   `rcv`: Packets received.
+*   `loss`: Packet loss percentage.
+*   `outage(ms)`: Total outage time in milliseconds (only if `--outage` is used).
+*   `rttMin`, `rttAvg`, `rttMax`: Minimum, average, and maximum RTTs.
+
+### `vSum`: Full RTT Summary
+
+Generated at end of execution when using `-C` (count mode with per-packet RTT reporting).
+
+```json
+{
+  "vSum": {
+    "host": "127.0.0.1",
+    "values": [
+      0.054,
+      0.062,
+      null,
+      0.081
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+*   `values`: Array of RTT values (in ms) for each sequence number. `null` indicates a timeout/loss.
+
+### `intSum`: Interval Summary
+
+Generated periodically when using `-Q` (quiet with interval reporting).
+
+```json
+{
+  "intSum": {
+    "time": 1733560000,
+    "host": "127.0.0.1",
+    "xmt": 10,
+    "rcv": 10,
+    "loss": 0,
+    "rttMin": 0.040,
+    "rttAvg": 0.055,
+    "rttMax": 0.070
+  }
+}
+```
+
+*   `time`: Unix timestamp of the report.
+*   Other fields are similar to `summary`.
+
+### `globalSum`: Global Summary
+
+Generated at end of execution when using `-s` (stats).
+
+```json
+{
+  "globalSum": {
+    "targets": 1,
+    "alive": 1,
+    "unreachable": 0,
+    "unknown addresses": 0,
+    "timeouts (waiting for response)": 0,
+    "ICMP Echos sent": 5,
+    "ICMP Echo Replies received": 5,
+    "other ICMP received": 0,
+    "ms (min round trip time)": 0.045,
+    "ms (avg round trip time)": 0.062,
+    "ms (max round trip time)": 0.081,
+    "sec (elapsed real time)": 5.012
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Contains aggregate statistics for the entire fping run.