Set multiple values

Question

Given this file

{
  "[global]": {
    "current": "",
    "hash": ""
  }
}

I would like this output:

{
  "[global]": {
    "current": "alpha",
    "hash": "bravo"
  }
}

I have this working command:

jq '."[global]".current="alpha" | ."[global]".hash="bravo"' example.json

However I would rather not have to repeat the ."[global]" part. I tried this command but it only returns part of the input:

$ jq '."[global]" | .current="alpha" | .hash="bravo"' example.json
{
  "current": "alpha",
  "hash": "bravo"
}

Answer 1

The multiplication of objects recursively merges the two. You can merge the [global] object with an object with the new values. The string values on the RHS will be used in the result.

."[global]" *= { current: "alpha", hash: "bravo" }

Addtion would work here too, but multiplication is generally more useful, particularly with nested objects. Rather than replacing corresponding objects, they are also merged.