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Type definitions

Type definitions (or typedefs for short) describe the objects that exist in Atlan.

Type definitions define the structure

Think of type definitions as describing the underlying data model of Atlan itself. Or in an object-oriented programming sense, these define the class (structure) of an object.

For example:

  • The model for database tables in Atlan is defined by the Table typedef.
  • The Table typedef describes characteristics unique to database tables, such as column counts and row counts.

Type definitions can also inherit from other type definitions.

For example:

  • The Table typedef inherits from an Asset typedef. (As do most other objects in Atlan.)
  • The Asset typedef describes characteristics that apply to all of these objects, such as certificates and announcements.
classDiagram
  direction RL
  class Asset {
    certificateStatus
    announcementType
  }
  class Table {
    columnCount
    rowCount
  }
  Asset <|-- Table : extends

What defines the instances?

While type definitions define the class of an object (its structure), specific instances are defined by entities and relationships.