Data structures and meaning
Semantic domains and candidate bindings
Semantic domains: named value sets with their rules, and which fields bind to which domain.
ddn@1New DDN source
Why use it?
Shared meaning beats shared spelling — a domain contract stops "status" meaning six different things.
When it helps
Whenever the same concept appears in several tables, payloads or teams.
How to read it
- Domains are named rule sets; fields borrow them.
- A field bound to two conflicting domains is a defect, not a convenience.
What you need
- The value sets and their rules
- The fields that use them
- Who owns each domain
Things to check
- Do not clone a domain instead of referencing it.
- Do not bind by name when a reference exists.
Scope of this diagram
Declared bindings only; the registry validates references, not your data at rest.
Work with the converted example
- Open the viewer and select
diagram. Inspect the rendered view and its source. - Open the designer. Keep the selected profile and inspect its legal palette and property controls.
- Change one displayed title or an appropriate data value. Apply the edit and check the resulting diagram.
- Run the verifier and review its diagnostics before moving complete content into review.
- Download your edited DDN source to retain the change.
The example uses the indentation-based ddn-next-1 dialect. The language guide explains reusable definitions, dotted data rows and explicit property blocks.