Data Object

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A Data Object encapsulates data as an identifiable instance of a defined type.

The identity of a Data Object distinguishes the Data Object from other instances of the same type. The defined type establishes the characteristics, structure, constraints, or permissible operations associated with the Data Object.

A Data Object can represent:

• A real-world entity
• A conceptual entity
• An event
• A transaction
• A message
• A document
• A state
• A state transition
• A configuration
• A test
• A test result
• An Evidence record
• A relationship among other Data Objects

A Data Object remains conceptually distinct from its physical representation. Different implementations can represent the same Data Object using different serialization formats, storage mechanisms, programming-language objects, database records, messages, files, or memory structures.

A Data Object can have:

• An identity
• A type
• A state
• A lifecycle
• A version
• A predecessor
• A successor
• Relationships to other Data Objects
• Provenance
• Traceability
• Applicable constraints
• Permitted operations

The applicable architecture determines which characteristics a particular Data Object requires.

identifiable information object that encapsulates data as an instance of a defined type

Adapted from:

• DIDO Reference Architecture, Data Object
• DIDO CLI, What is DIDO?
• Object-oriented modeling and information-modeling usage
• Immutable Data Object
• Distributed Immutable Data Object (DIDO)

The definition preserves the DIDO-RA treatment of a Data Object as an instance of a class used within or distributed across a system while remaining independent of a specific modeling or implementation technology.

A Data Object is not necessarily immutable or distributed.

An Immutable Data Object preserves each committed state without in-place alteration.

A Distributed Immutable Data Object (DIDO) distributes the committed states of an Immutable Data Object across multiple networked Nodes through a shared state-agreement mechanism.

A Data Object is distinct from:

• The real-world or conceptual subject it represents
• The type that defines its permitted characteristics
• A particular serialization of the Data Object
• A particular copy of the Data Object
• The storage mechanism containing the Data Object
• The message carrying the Data Object
• The software component processing the Data Object

Changing a physical representation does not create a different Data Object when the identity, type, state, and applicable semantics remain unchanged.

Creating a state with a new identity, version, or lifecycle position can create a successor Data Object when the governing model defines each state as a separately identifiable object.

A trade model defines a Trade type.

A particular trade identified as TRADE-2026-0042 constitutes a Data Object that instantiates the Trade type. The trade can appear as a database record, a serialized message, a document, or an in-memory representation without changing its conceptual identity.

If the architecture preserves each committed trade state as a separately identifiable successor, each state can constitute an Immutable Data Object.