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How strict is OpenAI Structured Outputs with optional JSON fields?

Natalia Volkova 16 26 Oct 2026

I’m using Structured Outputs to return records where some fields only apply in certain cases. What’s the best way to represent optional JSON fields in a strict schema, especially when a field should be omitted in one case but set to null in another?

I’d also like to know where the API’s schema validation stops and application-level checks should begin. If you’ve handled conditional fields in a real integration, what schema shape worked reliably for you?


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