Object & Link Types — Type Reference

Source: https://www.palantir.com/docs/foundry/object-link-types/type-reference/ Captured during the ontology-parity effort. Concrete data-model reference only.

Ontology types (schema definitions)

• Object type — schema for a real-world entity/event; comprises individual objects with shared characteristics (e.g. Airport type → JFK, LHR objects).
• Property — a characteristic of an entity/event; object-level attribute with a typed value (e.g. Airport name, country).
• Shared property — a property usable on multiple object types; consistent modeling + centralized metadata.
• Link type — schema for a relationship between two object types; an individual link is one relationship instance.
• Action type — schema for a set of changes/edits to objects, property values, and links, including side-effect behaviors.
• Object type groups — classification primitive for ontology search/exploration.
• Interfaces — describe the shape of an object type and its capabilities; provide polymorphism; enforce consistent modeling.

Data type categories

Value types

• Semantic wrappers around field types with metadata/constraints.
• Customizable within a space (not globally static).
• Examples: emails, URLs, UUIDs, enumerations.
• Enable domain-specific validation and expressiveness.

Type-level vs instance-level

Aspect	Type definition	Instance
Scope	Metadata structure	Actual data values
Content	Display names, property types, descriptions	Primary keys, property values
Nature	Static schema	Dynamic data