Simplified schema vs TypeScript types

Both describe JSON structure. They're built for different contexts. Here's a direct comparison.

Side by side

TypeScript types

interface Product {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  price: number;
  inStock: boolean;
  variants: Variant[];
  metadata: Record<string, string> | null;
}

interface Variant {
  sku: string;
  color: string;
  size?: string;
}

Simplified schema

{
  id: string,
  name: string,
  price: number,
  inStock: boolean,
  variants: [{
    sku: string,
    color: string,
    size?: string
  }],
  metadata: {
    [key]: string
  } | null
}

Key differences

	Simplified schema	TypeScript
Output format	Inline, self-contained	Named interfaces with references
Learning curve	None. Looks like JSON.	Requires TypeScript knowledge
Array handling	Merges all items, marks optional fields	Types based on first item (varies by tool)
Best for	Docs, LLM prompts, quick reads	Codebases, IDE integration, validation
Token efficiency	High (no boilerplate)	Medium (interface declarations add overhead)

They complement each other

This isn't a competition. TypeScript types belong in your codebase. A simplified schema belongs in your docs, prompts, and conversations. Many developers use both: TypeScript for the implementation, and a simplified schema to communicate about it.

jsontoschema supports both outputs from the same tool. Paste your JSON, pick the mode you need from the dropdown, and get the result in one click.

Try both approaches

Paste any JSON and switch between schema and TypeScript output. Takes two seconds.

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