diff --git a/aos/flatbuffer_utils.h b/aos/flatbuffer_utils.h
index 2b1c1ab..2118fd6 100644
--- a/aos/flatbuffer_utils.h
+++ b/aos/flatbuffer_utils.h
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 #ifndef AOS_FLATBUFFER_UTILS_
 #define AOS_FLATBUFFER_UTILS_
 
+#include <optional>
+#include <string_view>
+
 #include "flatbuffers/flatbuffers.h"
+#include "glog/logging.h"
 
 namespace aos {
 
@@ -11,6 +15,86 @@
   return flatbuffers::ElementaryTypeNames()[elementary_type] + 3;
 }
 
+// A least-common-denominator API for a TypeTable or a Schema.
+//
+// An instance may represent an enum or a sequence (table, struct, or union).
+// Schemas have objects for the individual fields, but these are not exposed as
+// FlatbufferType instances.
+class FlatbufferType final {
+ public:
+  // Implicit on purpose, to allow freely creating a FlatbufferType.
+  FlatbufferType(const flatbuffers::TypeTable *type_table)
+      : type_table_(CHECK_NOTNULL(type_table)) {}
+
+  // This is deliberately copyable, for ease of memory management. It is cheap
+  // to pass by value.
+  FlatbufferType(const FlatbufferType &) = default;
+  FlatbufferType(FlatbufferType &&) = default;
+  FlatbufferType &operator=(const FlatbufferType &) = default;
+  FlatbufferType &operator=(FlatbufferType &&) = default;
+
+  // Returns whether this type is a sequence (table, struct, or union).
+  bool IsSequence() const;
+
+  // Returns whether this type is an enum.
+  bool IsEnum() const;
+
+  // Returns whether the given field is a sequence (table, struct, or union).
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  bool FieldIsSequence(int index) const;
+
+  // Returns whether the given field is an enum.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  bool FieldIsEnum(int index) const;
+
+  // Returns the value for a given enumerator.
+  //
+  // Only valid for enums.
+  std::optional<int64_t> EnumValue(std::string_view name) const;
+
+  // Returns whether the given field is either a vector (in a table) or an array
+  // (in a struct).
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  bool FieldIsRepeating(int index) const;
+
+  // Returns the field index in a table given the name, or -1 if the name is not
+  // found.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  int FieldIndex(std::string_view field_name) const;
+
+  // Returns the name for a field.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  std::string_view FieldName(int index) const;
+
+  // Returns the type of a field.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  flatbuffers::ElementaryType FieldElementaryType(int index) const;
+
+  // See flatbuffers::InlineSize for details.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  size_t FieldInlineSize(int index) const;
+
+  // Returns the total number of fields.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  int NumberFields() const;
+
+  // Returns the type for a field.
+  //
+  // Only valid for sequences (tables, structs, or unions).
+  FlatbufferType FieldType(int index) const;
+
+ private:
+  const flatbuffers::TypeTable *type_table_ = nullptr;
+};
+
 }  // namespace aos
 
 #endif  // AOS_FLATBUFFER_UTILS_