> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/colinhacks/zod/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Introduction
> TypeScript-first schema validation with static type inference
## What is Zod?
Zod is a TypeScript-first validation library that lets you define schemas and parse data with them. You'll get back strongly typed, validated results.
```typescript theme={null}
import * as z from "zod";
const User = z.object({
name: z.string(),
});
// some untrusted data...
const input = {
/* stuff */
};
// the parsed result is validated and type safe!
const data = User.parse(input);
// so you can use it with confidence :)
console.log(data.name);
```
## Key Features
No external dependencies. Works in Node.js and all modern browsers.
Core bundle is just 2kb minified and gzipped.
Define a schema once and Zod automatically infers the static TypeScript type.
Methods like `.check()` return a new instance, keeping your schemas immutable.
You don't need to use TypeScript. Zod works with plain JavaScript too.
Convert your Zod schemas to JSON Schema for interoperability.
## Get Started
Install Zod using npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun
Learn the basics with a hands-on tutorial
Explore string, number, boolean, and other basic types
Define complex object schemas with nested structures
## Why Zod?
With Zod, you declare a validator once and automatically get:
* **Static type inference** - No duplicate type declarations
* **Runtime validation** - Catch data errors at runtime
* **Detailed error messages** - Know exactly what went wrong
* **Developer-friendly API** - Concise, chainable interface
Zod follows the [parse, don't validate](https://lexi-lambda.github.io/blog/2019/11/05/parse-don-t-validate/) philosophy, giving you confidence in your data from input to output.