Metadata reference

An object type is represented in the Ontology by the following metadata:

• ID: A unique identifier of the object type, primarily used to reference objects of this type when configuring an application. For example, employee may be the ID of the Employee object type.
• RID: An automatically generated unique identifier for every resource in Foundry. An object type’s RID will be referenced in error messages across the platform.
• Icon: A picture and color used as a visual identifier of the object type that will appear in user applications when a user views an object of this type. For example, the person icon may be used to depict the Employee object type.
• Display name: The name shown to anyone accessing an object of this type in user applications. For example, the display name for the Employee object type may be Employee.
• Plural display name: The name shown to anyone accessing multiple objects of this type in user applications. For example, the plural display name for the Employee object type may be Employees.
• Description: Explanatory text about the object type that anyone can read in user applications. For example, the description of the Employee object type may be All full-time and part-time employees of Organization X.
• Groups: A group is a label that helps you categorize your object types. For example, the Employee object type may belong to groups HR and Employee 360.
• API name: The name used when referring to the object type programmatically in code. For example, the API name of the Employee object type may be Employee. Read more about API names.
• Visibility: An indication to user applications for how prominently to display the object type. A prominent object type will lead applications to show this object type first to users. A hidden object type will not appear in user applications. By default, the Employee object type will have visibility normal.
• Status: A signal to users and other Ontology builders about where in the development process the object type stands. It can be active, experimental, or deprecated. By default, the Employee object type will have status experimental. Read more about statuses.
• Index status: The status of the last reindex of the object type and its backing datasources. It can be success, failed, or not started. Read more about index statuses.
• Writeback: An indication of whether the object type has a writeback dataset generated, and whether allowing end users to make edits to objects of this type is enabled or disabled. Read more about writeback datasets.

Learn more about creating and configuring an object type in the Ontology and about validation requirements for object type metadata.

Learn more about Properties (characteristics of an object type).