dobjet

Dobjet is a term used to describe a digital object that encapsulates both content and descriptive metadata to support interoperable data exchange and long-term preservation. In this sense, a doobject (often written as doobjet in some discussions) is not merely a file but a self-describing unit that can be stored, transmitted, and validated across diverse systems. It is commonly discussed in the contexts of data management, digital libraries, and content delivery where provenance, versioning, and integrity are important.

The etymology of the term blends the idea of a data object with the French word objet, reflecting its emphasis on a discrete, self-contained artifact. The concept emerged in online data and archival communities in the 2010s and has since been adopted in discussions about interoperable data models and digital preservation strategies. While not tied to a single standard, doobjects are typically associated with practices that favor explicit metadata and verifiable structure.

A doobject typically comprises a core data payload plus metadata fields such as a unique identifier, schema or type information, provenance or lineage, version, and an integrity check (for example a hash). It may be serialized in formats like JSON-LD, CBOR, or Protobuf and can be referenced through persistent identifiers. In practice, doobjects align with broader standards for metadata (Dublin Core, schema.org) and data interoperability, while remaining flexible enough to accommodate domain-specific vocabularies.

Example: a doobject may include fields like id, type, payload, metadata, provenance, version, and checksum, enabling consistent validation and cross-system exchange.