An open metadata instance describes a single element of metadata. There are two types of metadata instances in open metadata:
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Entities - these are the nodes (vertices) in the metadata graph. They typically describe concepts, people, places, things.
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Relationships - these are links (edges) in the metadata graph that show how the entities are related.
Entities can also be decorated with classifications. These describe additional attributes of an entity and can be used to identify entities that are similar in a specific aspect.
Every metadata instance is linked to an open metadata type definition (TypeDef) that describes what it represents and the properties that may be stored in it.
Although not proper metadata instances, the classifications are also linked to a TypeDef to ensure they are have a well defined meaning.
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