JSON Schema for Humans configuration file

February 17, 2026 · View on GitHub

Title: JSON Schema for Humans configuration file

Typeobject
RequiredNo
Additional propertiesAny type allowed

Description: Choose how to generate JSON Schema for Humans documentation file.

Configuration parameters can be provided in several ways:

  • On the CLI using --config parameter_name=value (example: --config template_name=flat)
  • On the CLI using a config file --config-file config.json
  • From code, by providing a GenerationConfiguration object to the called generation method.
PropertyPatternTypeDeprecatedDefinitionTitle/Description
- description_is_markdownNobooleanNo-(HTML outputs only)
Whether to consider the description as Markdown and render it accordingly.
- description_safe_modeNoenum (of null or string)No-(HTML outputs only)
(Only used with `description_is_markdown`)
How are HTML tags in descriptions handled. Correspond to the `safe_mode` option of the markdown2 library.

- "escape": Escape all HTML tags in descriptions
- "replace": Replace HTML tags with `[HTML_REMOVED]`
- null: Allow HTML in descriptions
- expand_buttonsNobooleanNo-Add an `Expand all` and a `Collapse all` button at the top of the generated documentation.
- show_breadcrumbsNobooleanNo-For each property, show the relative place of that property in the schema.
- collapse_long_descriptionsNobooleanNo-If a description is considered big, show only the beginning and add a `Read more` button.
- collapse_long_examplesNobooleanNo-If an example is considered big, collapse it, it can be displayed with a `Show` option.
- link_to_reused_refNobooleanNo-If several `$ref` points to the same definition, only render the documentation for this definition the first time. All other occurrences are replaced by an anchor link to the first occurrence. The first occurrence is the one that is the least nested from the top of the schema and appears first in that nesting level.

Note: If this option is off and the schema contains recursive definitions, the generation will crash!
- recursive_detection_depthNointegerNo-Advanced option
If `link_to_reused_ref` is false and a `$ref` in the schema refers to a parent of itself, we would get a `RecursionError` trying to render the documentation. To avoid this, each reference is checked for circular references.

This option determines the number of times to recursively follow definitions looking for a circular reference.

In other words, if a schema has a deeply nested element that refers to itself, this option may need to be increased.
- deprecated_from_descriptionNobooleanNo-Mark a property as deprecated (with a big red badge) if the description contains the string `[​Deprecated`.
- default_from_descriptionNobooleanNo-Extract the default value of a property from the description like this: ``[Default `the_default_value`]``.

The default value from the "default" attribute will be used in priority.
- copy_cssNobooleanNo-Copy `schema_doc.css` to the same directory as `RESULT_FILE` after generation.
- copy_jsNobooleanNo-Copy `schema_doc.min.js` to the same directory as `RESULT_FILE` after generation.

This file contains the logic for the anchor links.
- template_nameNoenum (of string)No-The name of the built-in template to use to render the documentation.

`js` is the default and uses javascript for anchor links, collapsible sections and tabs.

`js_offline` is identical to `js` except that all CSS, fonts and JavaScript are bundled for offline use.

`flat` uses no javascript, but has no interactivity.

`md` is the markdown template.

`md_nested` is the markdown template with collapsible nested sections.

`techdocs` is optimized for TechDocs/MkDocs Material with collapsible admonitions.
- custom_template_pathNostringNo-Path to a custom Jinja2 template file.

There can be multiple files to split the template, but this path should be the entry point.

If no output file is specified, the extension of the template file will be used to determine the output documentation extension. i.e. if the template is in ./custom_template/content.html, the resulting documentation will have the html extension.
- show_tocNobooleanNo-Whether to render table of contents.
- examples_as_yamlNobooleanNo-Whether to display examples as YAML instead of JSON
- old_anchor_linksNobooleanNo-Generate HTML ids for anchor links without special characters (keep only letters, digits, `_`, and `-`).

This is the old behaviour and is only needed for browsers that do not support HTML 5.
- markdown_optionsNoobjectNo-(Only used with `description_is_markdown`)
Markdown 2 options for the descriptions.
- template_md_optionsNoobjectNo-specific options to md template
- with_footerNobooleanNo-Whether to show the footer linking to the library repo and with the generation datetime
- footer_show_timeNobooleanNo-Whether the footer should display the generation time
- allow_html_descriptionNobooleanDeprecated-[Deprecated]
- minifyNobooleanDeprecated-[Deprecated]
- templates_directoryNostringDeprecated-[Deprecated]

1. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > description_is_markdown

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: (HTML outputs only) Whether to consider the description as Markdown and render it accordingly.

2. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > description_safe_mode

Typeenum (of null or string)
RequiredNo
Default"escape"

Description: (HTML outputs only) (Only used with description_is_markdown) How are HTML tags in descriptions handled. Correspond to the safe_mode option of the markdown2 library.

  • "escape": Escape all HTML tags in descriptions
  • "replace": Replace HTML tags with [HTML_REMOVED]
  • null: Allow HTML in descriptions

Must be one of:

  • null
  • "escape"
  • "replace"

3. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > expand_buttons

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: Add an Expand all and a Collapse all button at the top of the generated documentation.

4. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > show_breadcrumbs

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: For each property, show the relative place of that property in the schema.

5. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > collapse_long_descriptions

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: If a description is considered big, show only the beginning and add a Read more button.

6. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > collapse_long_examples

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: If an example is considered big, collapse it, it can be displayed with a Show option.

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: If several $ref points to the same definition, only render the documentation for this definition the first time. All other occurrences are replaced by an anchor link to the first occurrence. The first occurrence is the one that is the least nested from the top of the schema and appears first in that nesting level.

Note: If this option is off and the schema contains recursive definitions, the generation will crash!

8. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > recursive_detection_depth

Typeinteger
RequiredNo
Default25

Description: Advanced option If link_to_reused_ref is false and a $ref in the schema refers to a parent of itself, we would get a RecursionError trying to render the documentation. To avoid this, each reference is checked for circular references.

This option determines the number of times to recursively follow definitions looking for a circular reference.

In other words, if a schema has a deeply nested element that refers to itself, this option may need to be increased.

9. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > deprecated_from_description

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: Mark a property as deprecated (with a big red badge) if the description contains the string [​Deprecated.

10. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > default_from_description

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: Extract the default value of a property from the description like this: [Default `the_default_value`].

The default value from the "default" attribute will be used in priority.

11. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > copy_css

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: Copy schema_doc.css to the same directory as RESULT_FILE after generation.

12. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > copy_js

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: Copy schema_doc.min.js to the same directory as RESULT_FILE after generation.

This file contains the logic for the anchor links.

13. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_name

Typeenum (of string)
RequiredNo
Default"js"

Description: The name of the built-in template to use to render the documentation.

js is the default and uses javascript for anchor links, collapsible sections and tabs.

js_offline is identical to js except that all CSS, fonts and JavaScript are bundled for offline use.

flat uses no javascript, but has no interactivity.

md is the markdown template.

md_nested is the markdown template with collapsible nested sections.

techdocs is optimized for TechDocs/MkDocs Material with collapsible admonitions.

Must be one of:

  • "flat"
  • "js"
  • "js_offline"
  • "md"
  • "md_nested"
  • "techdocs"

14. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > custom_template_path

Typestring
RequiredNo
Defaultnull

Description: Path to a custom Jinja2 template file.

There can be multiple files to split the template, but this path should be the entry point.

If no output file is specified, the extension of the template file will be used to determine the output documentation extension. i.e. if the template is in ./custom_template/content.html, the resulting documentation will have the html extension.

15. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > show_toc

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: Whether to render table of contents.

16. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > examples_as_yaml

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: Whether to display examples as YAML instead of JSON

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: Generate HTML ids for anchor links without special characters (keep only letters, digits, _, and -).

This is the old behaviour and is only needed for browsers that do not support HTML 5.

18. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > markdown_options

Typeobject
RequiredNo
Additional propertiesAny type allowed
Default{"fenced-code-blocks": {"cssclass": "highlight jumbotron"}, "tables": null, "breaks": {"on_newline": true, "on_backslash": true}}

Description: (Only used with description_is_markdown) Markdown 2 options for the descriptions.

Example:

{
    "fenced-code-blocks": {
        "cssclass": "highlight jumbotron"
    },
    "tables": null,
    "break-on-newline": true,
    "cuddled-lists": true
}

19. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options

Typeobject
RequiredNo
Additional propertiesAny type allowed

Description: specific options to md template

PropertyPatternTypeDeprecatedDefinitionTitle/Description
- badge_as_imageNobooleanNo-if true generate badges(eg: optional, required) using embedded image (https://img.shields.io).

if false, use text instead
- show_heading_numbersNobooleanNo-if true generate heading numbers to correspond to table of contents.

if false, do not generate heading numbers
- show_array_restrictionsNobooleanNo-if true generate array restrictions section.

if false, do not generate
- properties_table_columnsNoarray of enum (of string)No-array of column names to display in the properties table.

if empty, the default is ['Property','Pattern','Type','Deprecated','Definition','Title/Description']

19.1. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options > badge_as_image

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaultfalse

Description: if true generate badges(eg: optional, required) using embedded image (https://img.shields.io).

if false, use text instead

19.2. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options > show_heading_numbers

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: if true generate heading numbers to correspond to table of contents.

if false, do not generate heading numbers

19.3. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options > show_array_restrictions

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: if true generate array restrictions section.

if false, do not generate

19.4. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options > properties_table_columns

Typearray of enum (of string)
RequiredNo

Description: array of column names to display in the properties table.

if empty, the default is ['Property','Pattern','Type','Deprecated','Definition','Title/Description']

Array restrictions
Min itemsN/A
Max itemsN/A
Items unicityFalse
Additional itemsFalse
Tuple validationSee below
Each item of this array must beDescription
properties_table_columns items-

19.4.1. JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > template_md_options > properties_table_columns > properties_table_columns items

Typeenum (of string)
RequiredNo

Must be one of:

  • "Property"
  • "Pattern"
  • "Type"
  • "Deprecated"
  • "Definition"
  • "Title/Description"
Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: Whether to show the footer linking to the library repo and with the generation datetime

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Defaulttrue

Description: Whether the footer should display the generation time

22. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > allow_html_description

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Deprecated
Defaultfalse

Description: [Deprecated]

23. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > minify

Typeboolean
RequiredNo
Deprecated
Defaulttrue

Description: [Deprecated]

24. Property JSON Schema for Humans configuration file > templates_directory

Typestring
RequiredNo
Deprecated

Description: [Deprecated]


Generated using json-schema-for-humans