---
title: Generate Object
description: Learn how to generate structured data using the AI SDK and Node
url: "https://ai-sdk.dev/v5/cookbook/node/generate-object"
docs_index: /llms.txt
tags:
  - node
  - structured data
---

> For an index of all documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt).

Earlier functions like `generateText` and `streamText` gave us the ability to generate unstructured text. However, if you want to generate structured data like JSON, you can provide a schema that describes the structure of your desired object to the `generateObject` function.

The function requires you to provide a schema using [zod](https://zod.dev), a library for defining schemas for JavaScript objects. By using zod, you can also use it to validate the generated object and ensure that it conforms to the specified structure.

```ts title='index.ts'
import { generateObject } from 'ai';
import { z } from 'zod';

const result = await generateObject({
  model: 'openai/gpt-4.1',
  schema: z.object({
    recipe: z.object({
      name: z.string(),
      ingredients: z.array(
        z.object({
          name: z.string(),
          amount: z.string(),
        }),
      ),
      steps: z.array(z.string()),
    }),
  }),
  prompt: 'Generate a lasagna recipe.',
});

console.log(JSON.stringify(result.object.recipe, null, 2));
```

---

For a semantic overview of all documentation, see [/sitemap.md](/sitemap.md)

For an index of all available documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt)

For agent-facing discovery, including API and MCP surfaces, see [/agents.md](/agents.md)