diff --git a/json_mods.hpp b/json_mods.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85481af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/json_mods.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
+#include <nlohmann/json_fwd.hpp>
+#include <optional>
+
+#define ENROLL_COMPONENT(COMPONENT, ...)                         \
+    NLOHMANN_DEFINE_TYPE_NON_INTRUSIVE(COMPONENT, __VA_ARGS__);  \
+    template <> struct NameOf<COMPONENT> {                       \
+      static constexpr const char *name = #COMPONENT;            \
+    };
+
+// partial specialization (full specialization works too)
+namespace nlohmann {
+  template <typename T>
+    struct adl_serializer<std::optional<T>> {
+      static void to_json(json& j, const std::optional<T>& opt) {
+        if (opt == std::nullopt) {
+          j = nullptr;
+        } else {
+          j = *opt; // this will call adl_serializer<T>::to_json which will
+          // find the free function to_json in T's namespace!
+        }
+      }
+
+      static void from_json(const json& j, std::optional<T>& opt) {
+        if (j.is_null() || j == false) {
+          opt = std::nullopt;
+        } else {
+          opt = std::make_optional<T>(j.template get<T>());
+          // same as above, but with adl_serializer<T>::from_json
+        }
+      }
+    };
+}
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index deacd3f..9d89fea 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ else
   })
 endif
 
+json = subproject('nlohmann_json').get_variable('nlohmann_json_dep')
 vkbootstrap_proj = cmake.subproject('vk-bootstrap', options: vk_opts)
 vkbootstrap = vkbootstrap_proj.get_variable('vk_bootstrap_dep')
 
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ dependencies += [
   glm,
   imgui,
   sdl2,
+  json,
 ]
 
 sources = [
diff --git a/trash_test.hpp b/trash_test.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e750836
--- /dev/null
+++ b/trash_test.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#include "vk_types.h"
+#include "json_mods.hpp"
+
+template <typename T> struct NameOf;
+
+ENROLL_COMPONENT(VkSemaphoreCreateInfo, sType);
+ENROLL_COMPONENT(VkFenceCreateInfo, sType);
+ENROLL_COMPONENT(VkImageViewCreateInfo, sType, viewType, subresourceRange.baseMipLevel, subresourceRange.levelCount, subresourceRange.baseArrayLayer, subresourceRange.layerCount);
diff --git a/vk_engine.cpp b/vk_engine.cpp
index da914ab..7fcec8f 100644
--- a/vk_engine.cpp
+++ b/vk_engine.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #define VMA_IMPLEMENTATION
 #include "vk_mem_alloc.h"
 
-constexpr bool bUseValidationLayers = true;
+constexpr bool bUseValidationLayers = false;
 
 VulkanEngine* loadedEngine = nullptr;
 
diff --git a/vk_initializers.cpp b/vk_initializers.cpp
index 3c30974..c31d17b 100644
--- a/vk_initializers.cpp
+++ b/vk_initializers.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,40 @@
 #include <vk_initializers.h>
+#include <vulkan/vk_enum_string_helper.h>
+#include "trash_test.hpp"
+
+nlohmann::json DATA = nlohmann::json::parse(R"(
+  {
+  "VkSemaphoreCreateInfo": {
+    "draw": {
+        "sType": 9
+      }
+    },
+  "VkFenceCreateInfo": {
+    "draw": {
+        "sType": 8
+      }
+    },
+  "VkImageViewCreateInfo": {
+    "draw": {
+        "sType": 15,
+        "viewType": 1,
+        "subresourceRange.baseMipLevel": 0,
+        "subresourceRange.levelCount": 1,
+        "subresourceRange.baseArrayLayer": 0,
+        "subresourceRange.layerCount": 1
+      }
+    }
+  }
+)");
+
+template<typename COMPONENT> COMPONENT load(nlohmann::json &data, const std::string& profile) {
+  COMPONENT result{};
+  auto& type_stuff = data[NameOf<COMPONENT>::name];
+  auto& profile_data = type_stuff[profile];
+  nlohmann::from_json(profile_data, result);
+  return result;
+}
+
 
 VkCommandPoolCreateInfo vkinit::command_pool_create_info(uint32_t queueFamilyIndex,
     VkCommandPoolCreateFlags flags /*= 0*/)
@@ -27,19 +63,16 @@ VkCommandBufferAllocateInfo vkinit::command_buffer_allocate_info(
 
 VkFenceCreateInfo vkinit::fence_create_info(VkFenceCreateFlags flags /*=0*/)
 {
-  VkFenceCreateInfo info = {};
-  info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_FENCE_CREATE_INFO;
-  info.pNext = nullptr;
+  auto info = load<VkFenceCreateInfo>(DATA, "draw");
   info.flags = flags;
   return info;
 }
 
 VkSemaphoreCreateInfo vkinit::semaphore_create_info(VkSemaphoreCreateFlags flags/*=0*/)
 {
-  VkSemaphoreCreateInfo info = {};
-  info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SEMAPHORE_CREATE_INFO;
-  info.pNext = nullptr;
+  auto info = load<VkSemaphoreCreateInfo>(DATA, "draw");
   info.flags = flags;
+
   return info;
 }
 
@@ -133,17 +166,10 @@ VkImageCreateInfo vkinit::image_create_info(VkFormat format, VkImageUsageFlags u
 
 VkImageViewCreateInfo vkinit::imageview_create_info(VkFormat format, VkImage image, VkImageAspectFlags aspectFlags)
 {
-  VkImageViewCreateInfo info{};
-  info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_IMAGE_VIEW_CREATE_INFO;
-  info.pNext = nullptr;
+  auto info = load<VkImageViewCreateInfo>(DATA, "draw");
 
-  info.viewType = VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D;
   info.image = image;
   info.format = format;
-  info.subresourceRange.baseMipLevel = 0;
-  info.subresourceRange.levelCount = 1;
-  info.subresourceRange.baseArrayLayer = 0;
-  info.subresourceRange.layerCount = 1;
   info.subresourceRange.aspectMask = aspectFlags;
 
   return info;
diff --git a/wraps/nlohmann_json.wrap b/wraps/nlohmann_json.wrap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c46676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wraps/nlohmann_json.wrap
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[wrap-file]
+directory = nlohmann_json-3.11.3
+lead_directory_missing = true
+source_url = https://github.com/nlohmann/json/releases/download/v3.11.3/include.zip
+source_filename = nlohmann_json-3.11.3.zip
+source_hash = a22461d13119ac5c78f205d3df1db13403e58ce1bb1794edc9313677313f4a9d
+source_fallback_url = https://github.com/mesonbuild/wrapdb/releases/download/nlohmann_json_3.11.3-1/nlohmann_json-3.11.3.zip
+wrapdb_version = 3.11.3-1
+
+[provide]
+nlohmann_json = nlohmann_json_dep