> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://daseldocs.tomwright.me/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://daseldocs.tomwright.me/v1/selectors/dynamic.md).

# Dynamic

## Description

Dynamic selectors allow you to select items from lists or maps when you don't know the key or index. You can think of this as searching the current node.

## Usage

{% hint style="info" %}
You can use a selector as the key to create more complex conditions.
{% endhint %}

```shell
.(<key>=<value>)
```

### Key

The key defines which property/selector we should use to extract a value.

If `<key>` is:

* `.` or `value` - dasel checks if the current nodes value is `<value>`.
* `-` or `keyValue` - dasel checks if the key/name/index of the current node is `<value>`.
* Else dasel uses the key as a selector itself and compares the result against `<value>`.

### Value

The value is the expected value for the check to pass.

Note that dasel will stringy values prior to checking if they match.

### Comparisons

Dasel supports the following comparison operators:

| Operator | Supported since |
| -------- | --------------- |
| `=`      | `v0.0.4`        |
| `>=`     | `v1.14.0`       |
| `>`      | `v1.14.0`       |
| `<`      | `v1.14.0`       |
| `<=`     | `v1.14.0`       |
| `!=`     | `v1.17.0`       |

### Multiple conditions

You can use multiple dynamic selectors within the same part to perform `AND` logic.

```shell
.(<key>=<value>)(<key2>=<value2>)
```

### Non-object values

You can evaluate and check against non-object values by defining the `key` as either `value` or `.`. Doing so will tell dasel extract the value of the current node and compare that against `<value>`.

### Selectors as a key

When performing dynamic checks dasel internally creates a new root node at the current position and queries data from there.

This means that you can use fully formed selectors as a key to create more advanced logic.

```shell
.users.(.addresses.(.primary=true).number=123).name.first
```

The above selector in plain English may read as...

> Give me the first name of the user who's primary address is at number 123.

The resolution of that query looks something like this:

```
.users.(.addresses.(.primary=true).number=123).name.first
.users.(.addresses.[0].number=123).name.first
.users.[0].name.first
```

## Example

{% code title="simple:input.yaml" %}

```yaml
colourCodes:
  - name: red
    rgb: ff0000
  - name: green
    rgb: 00ff00
  - name: blue
    rgb: 0000ff
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="advanced:input.json" %}

```json
{
  "users": [
    {
      "name": {
        "first": "Tom",
        "last": "Wright"
      },
      "addresses": [
        {
          "primary": true,
          "number": 123
        },
        {
          "primary": false,
          "number": 456
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

{% endcode %}

### Single condition

```shell
$ dasel select -f simple_input.yaml '.colourCodes.(name=red).rgb'
ff0000
```

### Multiple conditions

```shell
$ dasel select -f simple_input.yaml '.colourCodes.(name=red)(rgb=ff0000).rgb'
ff0000
```

### Selector as a key

```shell
$ dasel -f advanced_input.json '.users.(.addresses.(.primary=true).number=123).name.first'
"Tom"
```