January 2, 2026
JSON wars: magic or mimic?
Show HN: Jsonic – Python JSON serialization that works
New Python 'just works' JSON tool sparks Pydantic showdown
TLDR: Jsonic promises one-click JSON conversion for Python classes and says it works with Pydantic, a popular data checker. The community split between early fans and skeptics asking for head-to-head comparisons and speed tests, turning the launch into a “prove it” moment on why this matters beyond buzz.
Jsonic just landed with a promise to make turning Python objects into JSON ‘just work’. If you don’t speak dev, JSON is the text format apps use to talk to each other. The author says Jsonic cuts out boring setup, checks types so mistakes fail fast, plays nicely with the popular validator library Pydantic, and can hide sensitive fields like passwords with one line. Demo snippets show it handling nested data, lists, and even enums (think choice lists) without the DIY code people usually write. The pitch: less boilerplate, more getting stuff done.
On Hacker News, reactions split fast. One cheerleader said, “Looks useful, will try it!” while a skeptic fired back with the hot take: why not just use Pydantic? Others demanded a clear face‑off with Pydantic’s “model_dump_json” and asked for speed numbers. The author leaned into the “works with Pydantic” angle, but the crowd wants receipts: benchmarks, edge cases, and a real-world showdown. Cue the memes: “Jsonic vs Pydantic” sounded like a sibling rivalry, with jokes about a trench coat disguise and a naming clash. Verdict from the peanut gallery: cool idea, now prove it’s faster and simpler. And yes, someone asked about performance—numbers or it didn’t happen.
Key Points
- •Jsonic is a Python library aimed at zero-boilerplate JSON serialization and deserialization.
- •It provides strict, type-safe deserialization with clear errors when expected types don’t match.
- •Jsonic integrates with Pydantic, respecting field aliases and validators and performing full validation on deserialization.
- •It supports partial serialization to exclude specified fields, including nested fields via dot notation, for security.
- •The library handles advanced Python types such as enums, tuples, sets, nested objects, and supports features like transient fields and __slots__ classes.