diff --git a/easybuild/tools/docs.py b/easybuild/tools/docs.py
index 4f4bfca99c..84666a6e10 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/docs.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/docs.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import copy
 import inspect
 import os
+import json
 from easybuild.tools import LooseVersion
 
 from easybuild.base import fancylogger
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@
 FORMAT_MD = 'md'
 FORMAT_RST = 'rst'
 FORMAT_TXT = 'txt'
+FORMAT_JSON = 'json'
 
 
 def generate_doc(name, params):
@@ -1024,6 +1026,34 @@ def list_software_txt(software, detailed=False):
     return '\n'.join(lines)
 
 
+def list_software_json(software, detailed=False):
+    """
+    Return overview of supported software in json
+
+    :param software: software information (strucuted like list_software does)
+    :param detailed: whether or not to return detailed information (incl. version, versionsuffix, toolchain info)
+    :return: multi-line string presenting requested info
+    """
+    lines = ['[']
+    for key in sorted(software, key=lambda x: x.lower()):
+        for tmp in software[key]:
+            if detailed:
+                # deep copy here to avoid modifying the original dict
+                x = copy.deepcopy(tmp)
+                x['description'] = x['description'].split('\n')[0].strip()
+            else:
+                x = {}
+            x['name'] = key
+
+            lines.append(json.dumps(x, indent=4) + ",")
+            if detailed:
+                break
+    # remove last comma
+    if len(lines) > 1:
+        lines[-1] = lines[-1][:-1]
+    return '\n'.join(lines) + '\n]'
+
+
 def list_toolchains(output_format=FORMAT_TXT):
     """Show list of known toolchains."""
     _, all_tcs = search_toolchain('')
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/options.py b/easybuild/tools/options.py
index e69d96b2f6..2a7d990e01 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/options.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/options.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.config import get_pretend_installpath, init, init_build_options, mk_full_default_path
 from easybuild.tools.config import BuildOptions, ConfigurationVariables
 from easybuild.tools.configobj import ConfigObj, ConfigObjError
-from easybuild.tools.docs import FORMAT_MD, FORMAT_RST, FORMAT_TXT
+from easybuild.tools.docs import FORMAT_MD, FORMAT_RST, FORMAT_TXT, FORMAT_JSON
 from easybuild.tools.docs import avail_cfgfile_constants, avail_easyconfig_constants, avail_easyconfig_licenses
 from easybuild.tools.docs import avail_toolchain_opts, avail_easyconfig_params, avail_easyconfig_templates
 from easybuild.tools.docs import list_easyblocks, list_toolchains
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ def override_options(self):
             'mpi-tests': ("Run MPI tests (when relevant)", None, 'store_true', True),
             'optarch': ("Set architecture optimization, overriding native architecture optimizations",
                         None, 'store', None),
-            'output-format': ("Set output format", 'choice', 'store', FORMAT_TXT, [FORMAT_MD, FORMAT_RST, FORMAT_TXT]),
+            'output-format': ("Set output format", 'choice', 'store', FORMAT_TXT, [FORMAT_MD, FORMAT_RST, FORMAT_TXT, FORMAT_JSON]),
             'output-style': ("Control output style; auto implies using Rich if available to produce rich output, "
                              "with fallback to basic colored output",
                              'choice', 'store', OUTPUT_STYLE_AUTO, OUTPUT_STYLES),