TSON Introduces JSON Superset with Immutable, Hash-Pinned Schemas

Introducing TSON: Typed Schema Object Notation

TSON, or Typed Schema Object Notation, is a newly introduced schema system designed to enhance data definition and validation. It functions as a superset of JSON, incorporating immutable, hash-pinned schemas. A key feature is that the schema definitions are treated as data themselves, allowing for a verifiable chain where a document names its schema, and that schema, in turn, names its meta-schema.

Schema Verification and Data Format

The system uses a single hash to verify the entire chain of schema definitions, ensuring integrity and immutability. TSON's data format is Unicode-first and shares the same lexer, tooling, and verification processes as its schemas. Schemas are structured as maps with a compact grammar, making them readable and writable.

Practical Implementation and Features

A working implementation, tson-java, is available, including a command-line tool. This tool allows users to initialize example schemas and data documents, and to validate data against a schema. The validation process reports all problems simultaneously, providing a path and reason for each issue.

TSON schemas support explicit field states: fields are required by default, a tilde (~) supplies a default value, an equals sign (=) pins a value, and a question mark (?) makes a field optional. This provides clear declarations for data contracts that might otherwise be handled by validation code.