Overview

Documentation model

This site uses Diataxis so each page has one clear purpose:

• Tutorials: learn by doing.
• How-to guides: complete a specific operational task.
• Reference: consult exact behavior and interfaces.
• Explanation: understand architecture and design choices.

Recommended reading paths

First-time user

1. Getting started
2. Installation
3. Quickstart
4. First validation workflow
5. Configuration

Production rollout

1. Installation
2. Schema directory workflow
3. Configuration
4. Commands
5. Config reference
6. Validation behavior

Plugin integrator / Java API

1. Installation
2. Java API
3. Architecture
4. Validation behavior

Server administrator / Commands

1. Installation
2. Commands
3. Configuration
4. Schema directory workflow
5. Design constraints

Schema author / validator deep dive

1. Schema keywords
2. Format reference
3. Examples and schema construction
4. Examples

Internal architecture review

1. Architecture
2. Design constraints
3. Validation behavior

Section map

Tutorials

• Getting started
• Quickstart
• First validation workflow
• Examples

How-to guides

• Installation
• Validate JSON file
• Schema directory workflow
• Configuration

Reference

• Schema keywords
• Validation behavior
• Skript API
• Java API
• Commands
• Format reference
• Config reference
• Examples and schema construction

Explanation

• Overview
• Architecture
• Design constraints

Documentation governance

• Structure and implementation details: Pages architecture
• Writing standards: Writing guide
• Contributor workflow: Developer guide

JSON Schema Versions and Drafts

Schema-Validator supports multiple JSON Schema drafts. Understanding the differences helps you write better schemas.

Supported Drafts

Draft-Specific Examples

Draft-04 (Legacy)

{
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "age": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 100,
      "exclusiveMinimum": true,
      "exclusiveMaximum": true
    }
  }
}

Note: In Draft-04, exclusiveMinimum and exclusiveMaximum are booleans that modify minimum and maximum.

Draft-06

{
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-06/schema#",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "status": {
      "const": "active"
    },
    "tags": {
      "type": "array",
      "contains": {"type": "string"}
    }
  }
}

Note: Draft-06 introduced const and contains keywords.

Draft-07

{
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "type": {"enum": ["user", "admin"]},
    "permissions": {"type": "array"}
  },
  "if": {"properties": {"type": {"const": "admin"}}},
  "then": {"required": ["permissions"]},
  "else": {"properties": {"permissions": false}}
}

Note: Draft-07 introduced if/then/else for conditional validation.

2019-09

{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2019-09/schema",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "name": {"type": "string"},
    "email": {"type": "string"}
  },
  "dependentRequired": {
    "email": ["name"]
  },
  "$defs": {
    "address": {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "street": {"type": "string"}
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: 2019-09 introduced dependentRequired, dependentSchemas, unevaluatedProperties, and $defs.

2020-12 (Recommended)

{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "type": "array",
  "prefixItems": [
    {"type": "string"},
    {"type": "integer"}
  ],
  "items": false
}

Note: 2020-12 uses prefixItems for tuple validation (replaces Draft-07’s items array form).

Migration Guides

• Draft-04 to 2020-12: Update exclusiveMinimum/exclusiveMaximum from boolean to numeric form
• Draft-07 to 2020-12: Replace items array with prefixItems
• All drafts: Use $defs instead of definitions for new schemas

External Resources

• JSON Schema Official Documentation
• JSON Schema Specification (2020-12)
• JSON Schema Specification (2019-09)
• Understanding JSON Schema
• JSON Schema Examples

Related Pages

• Schema keywords - Complete keyword reference
• Examples and schema construction - Practical schema patterns
• Format reference - Supported string formats
• Validation behavior - Runtime execution order