Dictionary Metamodel

Dictionary metamodels specify semantically-rich types on which records can be based. Doing so creates a set of consistent, reusable type definitions that help enforce commonality across the system. For more information about data records, see the Semantic Data page.

Dictionary Metamodel Specifications

Each metadata instance should be placed in a file with the same name as your dictionary that lives within the following directory structure (to initially create this structure, please see Creating a Project):

<project-name>/<project-name>-pipeline-models/src/main/resources/dictionaries

For example:

test-project/test-project-pipeline-models/src/main/resources/dictionaries/IrsDictionary.json

Dictionary Root Element Options

The following options are available on the root dictionary element:

Dictionary Root Location

{
  ...
}

Table 1. Dictionary Root Metamodel Options
Element Name	Required?	Default	Use
`name`	Yes	None	Specifies the name of your dictionary. It should represent the functional concept of its contents and must use UpperCamelCase/PascalCase notation (e.g., `IrsDictionary.json`).
`package`	Yes	None	Provides a namespace that will be leveraged to differentiate between instances and provide language-specific namespacing (e.g. package in Java, namespace in XSD).
`dictionaryTypes` (details)	Yes	None	The various types in your dictionary. At least one type is required within `dictionaryTypes`.

Dictionary Type Options

The following options are available on the dictionaryType dictionary element:

Type Location

{
  "dictionaryTypes": [
    {
      ...
    }
  ]
}

Table 2. Type Metamodel Options
Element Name	Required?	Default	Use
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/name`	Yes	None	The name of the type that is being defined and must use UpperCamelCase/PascalCase notation (e.g., `SocialSecurityNumber`).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/simpleType`	Yes	None	The base type from the Type Manager for this dictionary type (e.g., `string`, `integer`).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation` (details)	No	None	Defines declarative data validation rules for this type (e.g., `maxValue`, `minLength`, `regex`).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/driftPolicy`	No	None	The default drift detection policy applied when this type is used in a record metamodel.
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/protectionPolicy`	No	None	The default data encryption policy applied when this type is used in a record metamodel.
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/ethicsPolicy`	No	None	The default bias detection policy applied when this type is used in a record metamodel.

Dictionary Type Validation Options

The following options are available on the validation dictionary element:

Type Validation Location

{
  "dictionaryTypes": [
    {
      "validation": {
      	...
      }
    }
  ]
}

Table 3. Type Validation Metamodel Options
Element Name	Required?	Default	Use
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/maxLength`	No	None	The maximum length of a value in represented by this type (inclusive).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/minLength`	No	None	The minimum length of a value in represented by this type (inclusive).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/maxValue`	No	None	The maximum value in represented by this type (inclusive). This value is specified as a string in the model to allow for integers and decimals to be supported in one metamodel field.
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/minValue`	No	None	The minimum value in represented by this type (inclusive). This value is specified as a string in the model to allow for integers and decimals to be supported in one metamodel field.
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/scale`	No	None	The number of decimals places to support for this type (decimals only).
`dictionaryTypes/dictionaryType/validation/formats`	No	None	A list of one or more regular expressions to be used as a pattern reference for field and attribute validation.