# Zod

> Zod is a TypeScript-first schema validation library with static type inference. This documentation provides comprehensive coverage of Zod 4's features, API, and usage patterns.

## Defining schemas

- [Defining schemas](https://zod.dev/api): Complete API reference for all Zod schema types, methods, and validation features

- [Primitives](https://zod.dev/api?id=primitives)
- [Coercion](https://zod.dev/api?id=coercion)
- [Literals](https://zod.dev/api?id=literals)
- [Strings](https://zod.dev/api?id=strings)
- [String formats](https://zod.dev/api?id=string-formats)
- [Emails](https://zod.dev/api?id=emails)
- [UUIDs](https://zod.dev/api?id=uuids)
- [URLs](https://zod.dev/api?id=urls)
- [ISO datetimes](https://zod.dev/api?id=iso-datetimes)
- [ISO dates](https://zod.dev/api?id=iso-dates)
- [ISO times](https://zod.dev/api?id=iso-times)
- [IP addresses](https://zod.dev/api?id=ip-addresses)
- [IP blocks (CIDR)](https://zod.dev/api?id=ip-blocks-cidr)
- [JWTs](https://zod.dev/api?id=jwts)
- [Template literals](https://zod.dev/api?id=template-literals)
- [Numbers](https://zod.dev/api?id=numbers)
- [Integers](https://zod.dev/api?id=integers)
- [BigInts](https://zod.dev/api?id=bigints)
- [Booleans](https://zod.dev/api?id=booleans)
- [Dates](https://zod.dev/api?id=dates)
- [Enums](https://zod.dev/api?id=enums)
- [.enum](https://zod.dev/api?id=enum)
- [.exclude()](https://zod.dev/api?id=exclude)
- [.extract()](https://zod.dev/api?id=extract)
- [Stringbools](https://zod.dev/api?id=stringbool)
- [Optionals](https://zod.dev/api?id=optionals)
- [Nullables](https://zod.dev/api?id=nullables)
- [Nullish](https://zod.dev/api?id=nullish)
- [Unknown](https://zod.dev/api?id=unknown)
- [Never](https://zod.dev/api?id=never)
- [Objects](https://zod.dev/api?id=objects)
- [z.strictObject](https://zod.dev/api?id=zstrictobject)
- [z.looseObject](https://zod.dev/api?id=zlooseobject)
- [.catchall()](https://zod.dev/api?id=catchall)
- [.shape](https://zod.dev/api?id=shape)
- [.keyof()](https://zod.dev/api?id=keyof)
- [.extend()](https://zod.dev/api?id=extend)
- [.pick()](https://zod.dev/api?id=pick)
- [.omit()](https://zod.dev/api?id=omit)
- [.partial()](https://zod.dev/api?id=partial)
- [.required()](https://zod.dev/api?id=required)
- [Recursive objects](https://zod.dev/api?id=recursive-objects)
- [Circularity errors](https://zod.dev/api?id=circularity-errors)
- [Arrays](https://zod.dev/api?id=arrays)
- [Tuples](https://zod.dev/api?id=tuples)
- [Unions](https://zod.dev/api?id=unions)
- [Discriminated unions](https://zod.dev/api?id=discriminated-unions)
- [Intersections](https://zod.dev/api?id=intersections)
- [Records](https://zod.dev/api?id=records)
- [Maps](https://zod.dev/api?id=maps)
- [Sets](https://zod.dev/api?id=sets)
- [Files](https://zod.dev/api?id=files)
- [Promises](https://zod.dev/api?id=promises)
- [Instanceof](https://zod.dev/api?id=instanceof)
- [Property](https://zod.dev/api?id=property)
- [Refinements](https://zod.dev/api?id=refinements)
- [.refine()](https://zod.dev/api?id=refine)
- [error](https://zod.dev/api?id=error)
- [abort](https://zod.dev/api?id=abort)
- [path](https://zod.dev/api?id=path)
- [when](https://zod.dev/api?id=when)
- [.superRefine()](https://zod.dev/api?id=superrefine)
- [.check()](https://zod.dev/api?id=check)
- [Pipes](https://zod.dev/api?id=pipes)
- [Transforms](https://zod.dev/api?id=transforms)
- [.transform()](https://zod.dev/api?id=transform)
- [.preprocess()](https://zod.dev/api?id=preprocess)
- [Defaults](https://zod.dev/api?id=defaults)
- [Prefaults](https://zod.dev/api?id=prefaults)
- [Catch](https://zod.dev/api?id=catch)
- [Branded types](https://zod.dev/api?id=branded-types)
- [Readonly](https://zod.dev/api?id=readonly)
- [JSON](https://zod.dev/api?id=json)
- [Custom](https://zod.dev/api?id=custom)
- [Functions](https://zod.dev/api?id=functions)

## Basic usage

- [Basic usage](https://zod.dev/basics): Basic usage guide covering schema definition, parsing data, error handling, and type inference

- [Defining a schema](https://zod.dev/basics?id=defining-a-schema)
- [Parsing data](https://zod.dev/basics?id=parsing-data)
- [Handling errors](https://zod.dev/basics?id=handling-errors)
- [Inferring types](https://zod.dev/basics?id=inferring-types)

## Ecosystem

- [Ecosystem](https://zod.dev/ecosystem): Overview of the Zod ecosystem including integrations, tools, and community resources

- [Resources](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=resources)
- [API Libraries](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=api-libraries)
- [Form Integrations](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=form-integrations)
- [Zod to X](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=zod-to-x)
- [X to Zod](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=x-to-zod)
- [Mocking Libraries](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=mocking-libraries)
- [Powered by Zod](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=powered-by-zod)
- [Zod Utilities](https://zod.dev/ecosystem?id=zod-utilities)

## Customizing errors

- [Customizing errors](https://zod.dev/error-customization): Guide to customizing validation error messages and error handling patterns

- [The error param](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=the-error-param)
- [Per-parse error customization](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=per-parse-error-customization)
- [Include input in issues](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=include-input-in-issues)
- [Global error customization](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=global-error-customization)
- [Internationalization](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=internationalization)
- [Locales](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=locales)
- [Error precedence](https://zod.dev/error-customization?id=error-precedence)

## Formatting errors

- [Formatting errors](https://zod.dev/error-formatting): Utilities for formatting and displaying Zod errors

- [z.treeifyError()](https://zod.dev/error-formatting?id=ztreeifyerror)
- [z.prettifyError()](https://zod.dev/error-formatting?id=zprettifyerror)
- [z.formatError()](https://zod.dev/error-formatting?id=zformaterror)
- [z.flattenError()](https://zod.dev/error-formatting?id=zflattenerror)

## Intro

- [Intro](https://zod.dev/): Introduction to Zod - TypeScript-first schema validation library with static type inference

- [Introduction](https://zod.dev/?id=introduction)
- [Features](https://zod.dev/?id=features)
- [Installation](https://zod.dev/?id=installation)
- [Requirements](https://zod.dev/?id=requirements)
- ["strict"](https://zod.dev/?id=strict)
- [Ecosystem](https://zod.dev/?id=ecosystem)
- [Sponsors](https://zod.dev/?id=sponsors)
- [Platinum](https://zod.dev/?id=platinum)
- [Gold](https://zod.dev/?id=gold)
- [Silver](https://zod.dev/?id=silver)
- [Bronze](https://zod.dev/?id=bronze)

## JSON Schema

- [JSON Schema](https://zod.dev/json-schema): How to convert Zod schemas to JSON Schema

- [String formats](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=string-formats)
- [Numeric types](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=numeric-types)
- [Object schemas](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=object-schemas)
- [File schemas](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=file-schemas)
- [Nullability](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=nullability)
- [Configuration](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=configuration)
- [target](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=target)
- [metadata](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=metadata)
- [unrepresentable](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=unrepresentable)
- [cycles](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=cycles)
- [reused](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=reused)
- [override](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=override)
- [io](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=io)
- [Registries](https://zod.dev/json-schema?id=registries)

## For library authors

- [For library authors](https://zod.dev/library-authors): Guidelines and best practices for library authors integrating with Zod

- [Do I need to depend on Zod?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=do-i-need-to-depend-on-zod)
- [How to configure peer dependencies?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=how-to-configure-peer-dependencies)
- [How to support Zod 4?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=how-to-support-zod-4)
- [Do I need to publish a new major version?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=do-i-need-to-publish-a-new-major-version)
- [How to support Zod 3 and Zod 4 simultaneously?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=how-to-support-zod-3-and-zod-4-simultaneously)
- [How to support Zod and Zod Mini simultaneously?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=how-to-support-zod-and-zod-mini-simultaneously)
- [How to accept user-defined schemas?](https://zod.dev/library-authors?id=how-to-accept-user-defined-schemas)

## Metadata and registries

- [Metadata and registries](https://zod.dev/metadata): Attaching and manipulatinvg metadata on Zod schemas

- [Registries](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=registries)
- [.register()](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=register)
- [Metadata](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=metadata)
- [z.globalRegistry](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=zglobalregistry)
- [.meta()](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=meta)
- [.describe()](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=describe)
- [Custom registries](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=custom-registries)
- [Referencing inferred types](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=referencing-inferred-types)
- [Constraining schema types](https://zod.dev/metadata?id=constraining-schema-types)

## Zod Core

- [Zod Core](https://zod.dev/packages/core): Zod Core package - minimal core functionality for custom implementations

- [Schemas](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=schemas)
- [Internals](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=internals)
- [Parsing](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=parsing)
- [Checks](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=checks)
- [Errors](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=errors)
- [Issues](https://zod.dev/packages/core?id=issues)

## Zod Mini

- [Zod Mini](https://zod.dev/packages/mini): Zod Mini - a tree-shakable Zod

- [Tree-shaking](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=tree-shaking)
- [When (not) to use Zod Mini](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=when-not-to-use-zod-mini)
- [DX](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=dx)
- [Backend development](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=backend-development)
- [Internet speed](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=internet-speed)
- [ZodMiniType](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=zodminitype)
- [.parse](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=parse)
- [.check()](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=check)
- [.register()](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=register)
- [.brand()](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=brand)
- [.clone(def)](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=clonedef)
- [No default locale](https://zod.dev/packages/mini?id=no-default-locale)

## Zod

- [Zod](https://zod.dev/packages/zod): Internals and structure of the Zod library

## Migration guide

- [Migration guide](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog): Complete changelog and migration guide for upgrading from Zod 3 to Zod 4

- [Error customization](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=error-customization)
- [deprecates message](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-message)
- [drops invalid_type_error and required_error](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-invalid_type_error-and-required_error)
- [drops errorMap](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-errormap)
- [ZodError](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zoderror)
- [updates issue formats](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=updates-issue-formats)
- [changes error map precedence](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=changes-error-map-precedence)
- [deprecates .format()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-format)
- [deprecates .flatten()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-flatten)
- [drops .formErrors](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-formerrors)
- [deprecates .addIssue() and .addIssues()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-addissue-and-addissues)
- [z.number()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=znumber)
- [no infinite values](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=no-infinite-values)
- [.safe() no longer accepts floats](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=safe-no-longer-accepts-floats)
- [.int() accepts safe integers only](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=int-accepts-safe-integers-only)
- [z.string() updates](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zstring-updates)
- [deprecates .email() etc](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-email-etc)
- [stricter .uuid()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=stricter-uuid)
- [no padding in .base64url()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=no-padding-in-base64url)
- [drops z.string().ip()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-zstringip)
- [updates z.string().ipv6()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=updates-zstringipv6)
- [drops z.string().cidr()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-zstringcidr)
- [z.coerce updates](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zcoerce-updates)
- [.default() updates](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=default-updates)
- [z.object()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zobject)
- [defaults applied within optional fields](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=defaults-applied-within-optional-fields)
- [deprecates .strict() and .passthrough()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-strict-and-passthrough)
- [deprecates .strip()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-strip)
- [drops .nonstrict()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-nonstrict)
- [drops .deepPartial()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-deeppartial)
- [changes z.unknown() optionality](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=changes-zunknown-optionality)
- [deprecates .merge()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=deprecates-merge)
- [z.nativeEnum() deprecated](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=znativeenum-deprecated)
- [z.array()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zarray)
- [changes .nonempty() type](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=changes-nonempty-type)
- [z.promise() deprecated](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zpromise-deprecated)
- [z.function()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zfunction)
- [adds .implementAsync()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=adds-implementasync)
- [.refine()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=refine)
- [ignores type predicates](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=ignores-type-predicates)
- [drops ctx.path](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-ctxpath)
- [drops function as second argument](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-function-as-second-argument)
- [z.ostring(), etc dropped](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zostring-etc-dropped)
- [z.literal()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zliteral)
- [drops symbol support](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-symbol-support)
- [static .create() factories dropped](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=static-create-factories-dropped)
- [z.record()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zrecord)
- [drops single argument usage](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-single-argument-usage)
- [improves enum support](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=improves-enum-support)
- [z.intersection()](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=zintersection)
- [throws Error on merge conflict](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=throws-error-on-merge-conflict)
- [Internal changes](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=internal-changes)
- [updates generics](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=updates-generics)
- [adds z.core](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=adds-zcore)
- [moves ._def](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=moves-_def)
- [drops ZodEffects](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-zodeffects)
- [adds ZodTransform](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=adds-zodtransform)
- [drops ZodPreprocess](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-zodpreprocess)
- [drops ZodBranded](https://zod.dev/v4/changelog?id=drops-zodbranded)

## Release notes

- [Release notes](https://zod.dev/v4): Zod 4 release notes and new features including performance improvements and breaking changes

- [Versioning](https://zod.dev/v4?id=versioning)
- [Why a new major version?](https://zod.dev/v4?id=why-a-new-major-version)
- [Benchmarks](https://zod.dev/v4?id=benchmarks)
- [14x faster string parsing](https://zod.dev/v4?id=14x-faster-string-parsing)
- [7x faster array parsing](https://zod.dev/v4?id=7x-faster-array-parsing)
- [6.5x faster object parsing](https://zod.dev/v4?id=65x-faster-object-parsing)
- [100x reduction in tsc instantiations](https://zod.dev/v4?id=100x-reduction-in-tsc-instantiations)
- [2x reduction in core bundle size](https://zod.dev/v4?id=2x-reduction-in-core-bundle-size)
- [Introducing Zod Mini](https://zod.dev/v4?id=introducing-zod-mini)
- [6.6x reduction in core bundle size](https://zod.dev/v4?id=66x-reduction-in-core-bundle-size)
- [Metadata](https://zod.dev/v4?id=metadata)
- [The global registry](https://zod.dev/v4?id=the-global-registry)
- [.meta()](https://zod.dev/v4?id=meta)
- [JSON Schema conversion](https://zod.dev/v4?id=json-schema-conversion)
- [Recursive objects](https://zod.dev/v4?id=recursive-objects)
- [File schemas](https://zod.dev/v4?id=file-schemas)
- [Internationalization](https://zod.dev/v4?id=internationalization)
- [Error pretty-printing](https://zod.dev/v4?id=error-pretty-printing)
- [Top-level string formats](https://zod.dev/v4?id=top-level-string-formats)
- [Custom email regex](https://zod.dev/v4?id=custom-email-regex)
- [Template literal types](https://zod.dev/v4?id=template-literal-types)
- [Number formats](https://zod.dev/v4?id=number-formats)
- [Stringbool](https://zod.dev/v4?id=stringbool)
- [Simplified error customization](https://zod.dev/v4?id=simplified-error-customization)
- [Upgraded z.discriminatedUnion()](https://zod.dev/v4?id=upgraded-zdiscriminatedunion)
- [Multiple values in z.literal()](https://zod.dev/v4?id=multiple-values-in-zliteral)
- [Refinements live inside schemas](https://zod.dev/v4?id=refinements-live-inside-schemas)
- [.overwrite()](https://zod.dev/v4?id=overwrite)
- [An extensible foundation: zod/v4/core](https://zod.dev/v4?id=an-extensible-foundation-zodv4core)
- [Wrapping up](https://zod.dev/v4?id=wrapping-up)

## Versioning

- [Versioning](https://zod.dev/v4/versioning): Versioning strategy and compatibility information for Zod 4

- [Update — July 8th, 2025](https://zod.dev/v4/versioning?id=update--july-8th-2025)
- [Versioning in Zod 4](https://zod.dev/v4/versioning?id=versioning-in-zod-4)
- [Why?](https://zod.dev/v4/versioning?id=why)
- [Why can't libraries just support v3 and v4 simultaneously?](https://zod.dev/v4/versioning?id=why-cant-libraries-just-support-v3-and-v4-simultaneously)

---

This documentation covers Zod v4, a TypeScript-first schema validation library. Use the URLs above to access specific pages and sections for detailed information about schema definition, validation, error handling, and advanced patterns.