Thing Schema

AnythingDB uses a standard schema definition to provide structure for Things in Collections. These define the types of information you expect in the Thing. For example, below is a schema for a stereo.

{
	"actions": {
		"toggleOn": {
			"input": {
				"type": "boolean"
			}
		},
		"volumeChange": {
			"description": "Change the volume of the Sound Stereo System",
			"input": {
				"properties": {
					"Volumelevelduration": {
						"minimum": 0,
						"type": "integer",
						"unit": "seconds"
					},
					"level": {
						"maximum": 100,
						"minimum": 0,
						"type": "integer"
					}
				},
				"type": "object"
			},
			"title": "Change the Volume"
		}
	},
	"base": "https://api.swx.altairone.com",
	"collection": "my-collection",
	"created": "2021-10-11T14:05:56+00:00",
	"description": "",
	"events": {
		"overheating": {
			"data": {
				"description": "The roof. The roof.",
				"title": "Stereo Overheating",
				"type": "string"
			}
		}
	},
	"href": "/spaces/my-space/collections/my-collection/things/01FHQTS842GDVVVSSGER1HSTE1",
	"id": "https://api.swx.altairone.com/spaces/my-space/collections/my-collection/things/01FHQTS842GDVVVSSGER1HSTE1",
	"model": {
		"name": "",
		"version": 0
	},
	"modified": "2021-10-11T14:09:05+00:00",
	"properties": {
		"status": {
			"type": "string"
		},
		"volume": {
			"description": "The volume of the Sound Stereo System",
			"maximum": 100,
			"minimum": 0,
			"title": "Volume",
			"type": "integer"
		}
	},
	"space": "my-space",
	"title": "Office 211b Stereo",
	"uid": "01FHQTS842GDVVVSSGER1HSTE1"
}

In this definition, you can see what data is expected for this device:

1. Several identifiers like id and title to differentiate this Thing description from others
2. status and volume properties for describing the current state of the Thing
3. toggleOn and volumeChange actions for adjusting the current state
4. An overheating event to tell users that something worth noting is happening

AnythingDB pairs this schema with its counterpart: the Thing. Where the schema describes what the data structure of a real-world entity should be, the Thing describes the current state of the real-world entity. For example, the Thing defined by the above schema might be:

{
	"actions": {},
	"base": "https://api.swx.altairone.com",
	"collection": "my-collection",
	"created": "2021-08-23T11:10:45+00:00",
	"description": "",
	"events": {},
	"href": "/spaces/myspace/collections/my-collection/things/01FDSB98PRZG0PW9YH2SSJA869",
	"id": "https://api.swx.altairone.com/spaces/myspace/collections/my-collection/things/01FDSB98PRZG0PW9YH2SSJA869",
	"model": {
		"name": "my-model",
		"version": 4
	},
	"modified": "2021-08-23T11:10:45+00:00",
	"properties": {},
	"space": "myspace",
	"title": "Office 211b Stereo",
	"uid": "01FDSB98PRZG0PW9YH2SSJA869"
}

You can see here that the Thing properties have real values to describe the state. You do not see the actions and events sections because these exist in the background and show up only when called. Using both the Thing and its schema, a developer can access not only a view of the current state of a real world asset, but all the things that are possible with that asset.

Thing schemas are made up of several building blocks. "Properties", "actions" and "events" are explained in the next topics, but the complete list of top-level building blocks which you can use to describe your Things are the following:

Put another way, this is what a complete (but completely blank) schema would look like:

{
	"actions": {},
	"base": "https://api.swx.altairone.com",
	"collection": "Links",
	"created": "2021-10-25T17:03:04+00:00",
	"description": "",
	"events": {},
	"href": "/spaces/my-space/collections/my-collection/things/01FJW6FMVY668YWP27JFNKFZT7",
	"id": "https://api.swx.altairone.com/spaces/ my-space /collections/ my-collection /things/01FJW6FMVY668YWP27JFNKFZT7",
	"model": {
		"name": "my-model",
		"version": 1
	},
	"modified": "2021-10-25T17:03:04+00:00",
	"properties": {},
	"space": "demoworkspace",
	"title": "thing",
	"uid": "01FJW6FMVY668YWP27JFNKFZT7"
}