b2KIT

JSON to Go Struct Generator

Generate Go struct definitions from JSON data with proper field naming and JSON tags.

Tested tool guide Tested browser tools Checked August 16, 2026

What JSON to Go Struct Generator does and how it behaves

This generator turns a pasted JSON value into Go type declarations for the objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and nulls observed in that value. Object keys become exported Go field names, while JSON tags preserve the original member names used when encoding or decoding. The result is a starting point for a request, response, event, or configuration model, not a complete schema. The usual surprise is that one payload cannot establish whether a field is optional, nullable, polymorphic, or simply absent from that particular example.

How the result is produced

1

From JSON values to fields

The generator interprets the pasted JSON as an observed value tree. Object members become fields, arrays become slice-shaped data, and scalar values suggest candidate Go types. Nested objects must be represented by additional struct shapes. Each field pairs an exported Go identifier with a JSON tag carrying the member's original spelling, so wire names and Go names can differ.

2

Go field and tag mapping

Go's encoding/json package reads and writes exported struct fields. A tag such as json:"user_id" associates the JSON member user_id with a Go field whose identifier can follow Go naming rules. The generated declaration records this mapping, but it cannot add business semantics such as requiredness, ranges, defaults, or relationships that were not present in the pasted value.

Good uses

  • Draft request and response types from a captured API payload, then compare the inferred fields and types with the API's published contract.
  • Turn a representative JSON configuration fixture into initial Go declarations before reviewing fields that may be omitted, null, or differently shaped in other configurations.
  • Create starter structs for webhook events, message queue payloads, and test fixtures when concrete JSON examples are available but handwritten type declarations are not.

Limits and checks

  • A generated struct describes the supplied sample, not every valid payload. A member present in the sample might be optional in practice, while a member absent from the sample cannot appear in the generated declaration. Check additional examples or authoritative documentation before treating any field as required.
  • JSON does not specify Go's numeric widths or signedness, and null carries no underlying value type. An integer-looking sample does not prove that future values fit a chosen integer type or never contain fractions. Replace inferred fields with the domain's intended types, pointers, or nullable wrappers where necessary.
  • JSON keys can contain spaces, punctuation, leading digits, or capitalization that cannot be copied directly into exported Go identifiers. Different keys can also normalize toward the same identifier. Inspect both field names and json tags, especially for acronyms, unusual keys, and possible naming collisions.

Common questions

Why can the Go field name differ from the JSON key?

A Go struct field used by encoding/json must be exported, so its identifier begins with an uppercase letter and must follow Go identifier rules. JSON member names have no equivalent restriction. The json tag preserves the exact wire name, allowing a field with an idiomatic Go name to read or write a key such as user_id or display-name.

Does the generated struct validate the JSON or determine which fields need pointers?

No. A struct provides destinations for decoding, but the sample alone does not define required fields, nullability, numeric limits, string formats, or cross-field rules. Missing fields generally leave ordinary Go fields at their zero values, which can be indistinguishable from explicitly supplied zero values. Choose pointers, custom types, and validation separately when that distinction matters.

References and verification

The behavioral notes were checked against the browser implementation. Standards and primary references below define the relevant format, formula, or platform behavior.

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