structured outputs API
An API feature that constrains model output to match a user-defined JSON schema, guaranteeing valid structure without retries.
Think of it like
A form with checkboxes and text fields instead of a blank piece of paper—shape the output before the model writes.
Example
Define a schema for a customer record: {name: string, age: number, email: string}. Model must return valid JSON matching that schema.
How it actually works
Structured outputs work by constraining token generation—only allowing tokens that lead to valid JSON. Faster than retry loops, no wasted tokens on malformed output. Recent addition to APIs; changes how you think about extraction tasks.
For product teams
Eliminates downstream JSON parsing errors; speeds up structured extraction.
For engineers
Token-level constraint; ensures schema compliance; integrated with function-calling.
Read anything AI without the jargon
Look up any term in plain English, or save terms as you read with the free Chrome extension.
Open DecoderAdd to Chrome