It does work, but it is a huge headache to use, in part because the documentation around it is nowhere near enough to understand how to use it.
If I used it regularly I'd probably develop a feel for it and be much faster - it is reasonable, just abnormal and extremely low level, and much harder to use with other jq stuff. But I almost always start looking for alternatives well before I reach that point.
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I used the wrong term, the correct term is streaming mode.