ArtifactType

ArtifactType is a classification used to describe the nature or packaging of an artifact within a system or domain. The term is generic and its precise meaning depends on context, but it typically serves to indicate what the artifact is and how it is produced, stored, and used.

In software development, artifact types identify the deliverables produced by a build. Build tooling and repositories rely on types to decide handling, deployment, and runtime expectations. Common examples include jar, war, and ear for packaged binaries; pom for a project object model; zip or tar for archives; and wheel or sdist for Python distributions. The type, alongside coordinates such as group, artifact, and version, helps tooling locate and manage artifacts in repositories and deploy them to environments.

In archaeology and cultural heritage, artifact types group objects by function, form, or material, such as a flint tool, a pottery shard, or a bead. Typologies support cataloging, comparative analysis, dating, and reconstruction of past practices.

In data management and digital asset management, artifact types describe digital objects such as documents, images, datasets, or software artifacts, guiding metadata schemas, access control, preservation planning, and workflow handling.

Implementation and governance: clear, explicit definitions are maintained in catalogs or ontologies, with versioning and change history. Systems typically support extensibility to accommodate new types and ensure consistent interpretation across tools. Because ArtifactType is context dependent, documentation should align with the domain standards to avoid ambiguity.