How can my AI agent output JSON code?

Below is some guidance on how to instruct your AI agent to generate JSON output reliably:

1. Be Explicit in Your Prompt

Ensure your prompt clearly states that the output should be strictly JSON and must not include any additional text. For example:

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Generate only a valid JSON object representing a user with the properties name, age, and email. Do not include any explanation or markdown formatting.

2. Provide a Template or Example

By showing an example in your prompt, you let the AI understand the exact format you need:

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For instance, output should look like this:
{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "age": 30,
  "email": "john.doe@example.com"
}

3. Use Clear Instructions for Formatting

If the AI tends to add extraneous text or markdown, you can add a line such as:

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Output only the JSON code without any additional text, markdown, or formatting.

4. Validate the JSON Programmatically

After receiving a response, you can validate the JSON using your programming language's JSON parser. For example, in Python:

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import json

json_text = '''{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "age": 30,
  "email": "john.doe@example.com"
}'''

try:
    data = json.loads(json_text)
    print("Valid JSON")
except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
    print("Invalid JSON:", e)

5. Use a Controlled Environment (If Possible)

If you're integrating with an API, you might enforce a post-processing step that strips unintended characters or uses regex patterns to ensure only valid JSON is processed.

Final Example Prompt

Here’s a combined example prompt for your AI agent:

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Please output only JSON code. The JSON should represent a product with the following keys: id (number), name (string), and price (number). Do not include any additional text or markdown formatting. For example:
{
  "id": 101,
  "name": "Widget",
  "price": 9.99
}

By following these steps, your AI agent should reliably generate JSON output without any unwanted formatting or extra text.