The IO-Link Community announces the release of a new specification, “JSON Integration for IO-Link,” for JSON mapping. The new Version 2 includes important functional enhancements, including support for IO-Link wireless communication and expanded MQTT functions. For the first time, the specification has been fully described using OpenAPI and AsyncAPI, making it machine-readable throughout.

Wireless Support for Flexible Applications
The new specification explicitly accounts for IO-Link Wireless. IO-Link data can thus be mapped in a standards-compliant manner even over wireless connections—such as in mobile applications, rotating machine parts, or hard-to-reach installations—without losing the uniform data structure.

Extended MQTT Functionality for IIoT
Another focus is on expanding MQTT support. The specification now defines more detailed topic structures for process data, parameters, and events. This enables more efficient, event-based communication and seamless integration with cloud platforms or edge systems.

Machine-readable specification via OpenAPI and AsyncAPI
The consistent use of OpenAPI (for REST-based interfaces) and AsyncAPI (for MQTT) enables, for the first time, a formal, automatically evaluable description of the IO-Link JSON mapping. The specification is thus not only documented for humans but also enables automated software generation for development and test systems.

Bridge between automation and the IT world
With this step, IO-Link sets a new milestone for the standardized, IT-oriented use of IO-Link data and creates optimal conditions for automation, IIoT, and cloud-based applications.

With the combination of JSON mapping, OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, wireless options, and extended MQTT, IO-Link specifically strengthens IT/OT convergence. Users gain consistent, standardized access to field data—from the sensor/actuator level all the way to data-driven IT applications.

the new specification is now available for free download the download section.