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Canonical Library

The platform-maintained library of shared Object, Property and Schema definitions that gives tenant data consistent meaning.

type: concept · status: draft · abstraction: entity

What it is​

The Canonical Library is the platform-maintained collection of shared Object, Property and Schema definitions used across IMOS Workspaces. It is built on the core object model but is not itself part of that model: the core defines what Objects, Records, Properties and Value Types are, while the Canonical Library publishes governed definitions such as Part, Supplier, Work Order, their standard Properties and reusable semantic Schemas.

Each canonical definition has a stable semantic identity, versioning rules and platform ownership. Tenants can use these definitions directly and extend canonical Objects with tenant-owned Properties without changing their shared meaning. Modules and other extensions reference canonical definitions as dependencies rather than creating incompatible copies of common manufacturing concepts.

The library contains definitions, not tenant business data. Records remain scoped to Workspaces. It also does not contain concrete Modules or capability definitions; those are extensions in their own right, packaged and governed separately.

Why it exists​

A flexible object model allows every manufacturer to describe its business, but flexibility alone produces isolated schemas that the platform cannot reliably compare or exchange. The Canonical Library supplies the shared vocabulary needed to retain meaning across tenant boundaries without forcing every tenant into an identical implementation.

That shared meaning enables cross-tenant analytics, procurement, integrations, data exchange and the future marketplace where tenants participate as both vendors and customers. Separating the library from the core keeps the foundation small and stable while allowing the platform vocabulary to grow.

Relationships​

Zero-edge concept

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Stakeholder summaries​

  • Product — Defines the shared business vocabulary used by Modules and Workspaces. Product teams extend the library through governed additions rather than duplicating common manufacturing concepts.
  • Investor — Creates the semantic network layer required for cross-tenant analytics, procurement, integrations, data exchange and a future marketplace.
  • Marketing — Gives manufacturers a shared business language while still allowing each Workspace to add the fields and structures it needs.
  • Engineering — A versioned registry of platform-owned Object, Property and Schema definitions with stable semantic identities, compatibility rules and tenant extension points.