Topic Map Schemas

Although not required to use the Web3 API, a topic map schema allows you to make use of the schema-driven browser and editor applications as well as providing information for custom applications about the rules you expect the data that they provide to conform to. The schema model used by Web3 is based on the ISO standard TMCL though simplified to make it easier to define and use schemas.

A Topic Map Schema is a collection of schema types and constraints. A schema type defines a typing topic that can appear in the topic map and what constructs it can be used to type; it also defines any superclass-subclass relationships to other types that allows the schema type to inherit constraints. A constraint defines either a way in which types can be combined in the topic map or a way in which a schema type and property values can be combined.