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What is json-to-go?

mholt/json-to-go — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-26

★ 4,622JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5Setup · easy

In one sentence

A browser tool that instantly converts a JSON snippet into a ready-to-use Go struct type definition, saving you from writing the boilerplate code by hand.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What It Does
      JSON to Go struct
      Instant conversion
      No account needed
    How to Use
      Paste JSON in browser
      Copy Go output
      Run via Node CLI
    Tech
      JavaScript
      Node.js CLI
    Limitations
      Manual review advised
      First array item assumed
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Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Paste a JSON API response and instantly get the Go struct you need to unmarshal it in your code.

USE CASE 2

Pipe a JSON config file through the Node.js CLI version to generate Go types as part of a build script.

USE CASE 3

Convert a JSON array of objects into the correct Go slice and nested struct types in one step.

What is it built with?

JavaScriptNode.js

How does it compare?

mholt/json-to-gofrancisrstokes/super-expressivepaulmillr/encrypted-dns
Stars4,6224,6214,621
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity1/52/51/5
Audiencedeveloperdevelopergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

So what is it?

JSON-to-Go is a small browser-based tool that takes a JSON snippet you paste in and converts it into a Go type definition automatically. JSON is a common data format used by APIs, and Go is a programming language that requires you to define the shape of your data before you can work with it. Writing those type definitions by hand is tedious, so this tool does it for you in the browser without any setup or account needed. You paste your JSON on one side and the corresponding Go struct appears on the other side instantly. The tool makes reasonable guesses about types when the JSON is ambiguous, so it recommends giving the output a quick look before using it in your code. For arrays of objects, it assumes the first item in the array is representative of all the others. It can also be run from the command line using Node.js if you prefer to pipe JSON files through it as part of a script or workflow. A companion tool called curl-to-Go handles converting curl commands into Go code, and comes from the same author. The README is brief, and the project is intentionally simple in scope.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Convert this JSON API response to a Go struct using json-to-go so I can unmarshal it in my Go service: {paste your JSON}
Prompt 2
How do I use json-to-go from the command line with Node.js to process a JSON file and print the Go struct?
Prompt 3
I have a JSON array where items have optional fields, what does json-to-go output for missing keys and how should I handle nil pointers?
Prompt 4
Show me how to embed json-to-go logic in my own JavaScript build tool to auto-generate Go types from JSON schema files.

Frequently asked questions

What is json-to-go?

A browser tool that instantly converts a JSON snippet into a ready-to-use Go struct type definition, saving you from writing the boilerplate code by hand.

What language is json-to-go written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, Node.js.

How hard is json-to-go to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is json-to-go for?

Mainly developer.

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