Skip to content
Merged
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from 1 commit
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
74 changes: 74 additions & 0 deletions specs/meta/README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
# JSON Schema Meta-Schema

The _meta.json_ file contains the meta-schema for the in-progress JSON Schema
specifications. You can find the latest published version on the
[JSON Schema website](https://json-schema.org).

## Meta-Schemas

A meta-schema is a schema that itself describes a schema. This is possible
because JSON Schema can be written as JSON.

Furthermore, the JSON Schema meta-schema is self-validating. That is, its JSON
form validates against the meta-schema.

## Extensions and Unknown Keywords

The JSON Schema specification allows for extension keywords to be introduced,
however it also disallows unknown keywords. While seemingly contradictory, the
meta-schema has been set up to allow for extension.

For this example, we'll add two hypothetical keywords: `odds` and `evens`, which
validate the odd and even indexed values in an array, respectively.

First, create a schema that just defines the new keywords.

```json
{
"$schema": "https://json-schema.org/1",
"$id": "https://example.com/schema/odds-evens",

"properties": {
"odds": { "$dynamicRef": "#meta" },
"evens": { "$dynamicRef": "#meta" }
}
}
```

Second, create a new meta-schema that

- references the above schema
- references the JSON Schema meta-schema
- includes an extension point in a `$defs`

```json
{
"$schema": "https://json-schema.org/1",
"$id": "https://example.com/schema/odds-evens-extension",

"$ref": "https://json-schema.org/1",

"$defs": {
"extension": {
"$dynamicAnchor": "extension",
"$ref": "https://example.com/schema/odds-evens"
}
}
}
```

Now you can use `https://example.com/schema/odds-evens-extension` in your
schemas to make use of the new `odds` and `evens` keywords.

```json
{
"$schema": "https://example.com/schema/odds-evens-extension",
"$id": "https://example.com/schema/model",

"type": "array",
"odds": { "type": "string" },
"evens": { "type": "number" }
}
```

This schema will validate arrays whose items alternate between strings and numbers.
5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions specs/meta/meta.json
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -152,7 +152,12 @@
"propertyNames": {
"pattern": "^[^$]|^\\$(id|schema|ref|anchor|dynamicRef|dynamicAnchor|comment|defs)$"
},
"$dynamicRef": "#extension",
"unevaluatedProperties": false,
"$defs": {
"extension": {
"$dynamicAnchor": "extension"
},
"anchorString": {
"type": "string",
"pattern": "^[A-Za-z_][-A-Za-z0-9._]*$"
Expand Down
Loading