Dataobjekt

Dataobjekt is a term used in information technology to denote a discrete unit of data that represents a real-world thing, concept, or event within a computing environment. It spans various contexts, including object-oriented programming, database design, and data interchange, where it functions as a self-contained data carrier with identifiable meaning.

In object-oriented programming, a data object is usually an instance of a class that encapsulates state in its attributes and may expose behavior via methods. In databases, a data object often corresponds to a record or row representing a single entity, such as a customer, product, or order. In data exchange, a data object is a structured data unit, typically serialized as a format like JSON or XML, used to transfer information between systems.

Typical characteristics of a dataobjekt are identity, state, and sometimes behavior. Identity uniquely distinguishes the object; state describes its current values; behavior refers to actions that can affect the object’s state. Data objects may be transient in memory or persisted in storage, and they follow a lifecycle from creation through updates to deletion.

Data object modeling focuses on defining its attributes, data types, constraints, and relationships to other objects. Common examples include a Customer object with attributes such as customer_id, name, and email, or a Product object with product_id, description, and price. Data objects can be nested or composed to form more complex structures.

Practical concerns include data quality, validation, serialization for transmission, access control, and metadata governance. Properly defined data objects support interoperability, data reuse, and maintainability across systems.