Domain Model (v2)

Key points

Datasets: CKAN metadata is oriented around a core dataset (previously known as a data "package") object.
- Core metadata: datasets have a set of "core" metadata attributes
- Unlimited additional metadata: Datasets can have an unlimited amount of arbitrary additional metadata in the form of "extra" key/value associations.
- Relationships: (v0.12/v1.0) relationships between datasets (such as depends on, child of, derived from etc)
Resources: the actual data or APIs associated to a dataset are entered into Resources.

Additionally:

Revisioning: All metadata in the CKAN system is revisioned -- i.e. all changes are recorded. This support reverting changes, viewing changes, and, perhaps most importantly going forward, the exchange of metadata changesets between different CKAN instances or CKAN and other catalogues. However, this is not a core part of the schema.
RDF: There is complete and functional mapping of the CKAN schema to RDF. See the RDF guide for details.
Task Status: A key/value store used by CKAN Tasks (background processes).

The key entity in CKAN is a Dataset. Datasets have 'Resources' (files, APIs etc) associated to them, buy best essay.

Part of the Domain model but not central: