# Metadata

**Status** Draft · **Version** 0.1 · **Updated** 20 July 2026 · **Doc ID** META-METADATA-01 · **Definition ID** OCOM-DEF-0003 · **URI** `ocom:Metadata`

Canonical: https://ocom.uno/vocabulary/metadata

> The OCOM Specification defines Metadata as — Metadata is structured information that describes the characteristics, context, or management attributes of an Object.

## Definition

Metadata is structured information that describes the characteristics, context, or management attributes of an Object. Metadata supplements an Object but does not define its identity or operational state. Metadata may evolve throughout the lifecycle of an Object.

## Purpose

This document defines Metadata within the OCOM Specification. Metadata provides descriptive information about an Object without altering its identity, behavior, or business meaning. Metadata supports discovery, governance, interoperability, traceability, and operational management.

## Business meaning

Metadata enables organizations to understand, organize, discover, and govern Objects consistently across operational environments. Metadata improves interoperability by providing common descriptive attributes independent of implementation technologies.

## Design principles

Every Metadata shall:

- be descriptive
- be structured
- be extensible
- support interoperability
- support governance
- remain technology independent

## Core characteristics

- identity attributes
- descriptive attributes
- administrative attributes
- governance attributes
- operational attributes
- technical attributes

## Relationship to other specifications

Metadata is used throughout the OCOM Specification, including:

- [`ocom:Object`](/vocabulary/object)
- [`ocom:Identity`](/vocabulary/identity)
- [`ocom:Registry`](/vocabulary/registry)
- [`ocom:Relationship`](/vocabulary/relationship)
- [`ocom:Reference`](/vocabulary/reference)
- `ocom:Lifecycle`
- `ocom:Governance`
- `ocom:Evaluation`

All managed Objects may possess Metadata.

## Referenced by

- [`ocom:Object`](/vocabulary/object)
- [`ocom:Identity`](/vocabulary/identity)
- [`ocom:Relationship`](/vocabulary/relationship)
- [`ocom:Reference`](/vocabulary/reference)
- [`ocom:Registry`](/vocabulary/registry)
- [`ocom:Classification`](/vocabulary/classification)
- [`ocom:Ownership`](/vocabulary/ownership)

## Independence — does not prescribe

- metadata schemas
- storage mechanisms
- serialization formats
- implementation technologies

## Conformance

A compliant implementation shall ensure that every managed Metadata:

- support structured Metadata
- preserve Metadata traceability
- support Metadata governance
- allow Metadata extension
- remain technology independent

## Provenance

Governance records: —

| Version | Date | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0.1 | 20 July 2026 | Initial draft |

## Recommended citation

OCOM Specification. Metadata. META-METADATA-01 (OCOM-DEF-0003). Version 0.1. https://ocom.uno/vocabulary/metadata

---

Machine representations — JSON: https://ocom.uno/vocabulary/metadata.json · JSON-LD: https://ocom.uno/vocabulary/metadata.jsonld · Markdown: https://ocom.uno/vocabulary/metadata.md · Source: https://github.com/DenisHogberg/OCOM/blob/main/docs/Meta/Metadata.md · History: https://github.com/DenisHogberg/OCOM/commits/main/docs/Meta/Metadata.md

Generated as a deterministic projection of one canonical record.