JSON Merge Patch (RFC 7396)

simple patch format · GitHub REST · kubectl strategic merge

RFC 7396 merge-patches look like documents — easier to read than RFC 6902 JSON Patch but less expressive. null in the patch means "delete this key". Generate from A → B, or apply to a source.

Mode

Source / A

Target / B

Patch (apply mode only)

Output

Paste source and target.

How to merge-patch

Generate tab: paste Source and Target; output is the merge-patch document. Output is null for keys to delete.
Apply tab: paste Source and a Merge-Patch; the result is the merged doc.

FAQ

When should I use this vs RFC 6902?

Use 7396 when the patch is mostly assignment ("set this key to this value"). Use 6902 when you need to add/remove a single element in an array, or atomically test-and-set.

Will it work offline?

Yes — pure JavaScript.