What is…
Structured output
Getting answers in a strict, machine-readable format like JSON or a fixed table.
When AI output feeds a spreadsheet, database or another program, prose won't do. You ask for (or, via APIs, enforce) a schema: exact field names, types and allowed values. Many APIs offer a structured-output mode that guarantees valid JSON matching your schema.
In chat apps, asking for "a markdown table with columns: Company, Price, Link" is the everyday version.
🧠 Test yourself
Which of these describes Structured output?
Related terms
Few-shot prompting
Showing the model a few examples of what you want before asking it to do the real task.
Tool use (function calling)
A model's ability to call external tools — search, calculators, code, APIs — and use the results.
API
The programmatic way to use a model from your own code or app, usually paid per token.
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