isdata

Isdata is a label used in computing to refer to data objects that are intended to carry only user-provided data, often contrasted with metadata or behavioral logic. There is no single formal specification for isdata; its meaning and usage vary across projects. In many contexts, an isdata object is expected to be a plain data container with a minimal interface and predictable serialization characteristics.

Common attributes include immutability or functional-style design, explicit field schemas, absence of side effects, and compatibility with JSON or other interchange formats. To qualify as isdata, objects typically expose a fixed set of fields with deterministic types and avoid embedded behavior such as methods that mutate internal state.

In languages like JavaScript or TypeScript, isdata may appear as a type or interface name, or as a predicate function isData(obj) that returns true if the object conforms to the isdata shape.

Usage patterns include API payloads, inter-service communication, data pipelines, and client-side state representations. Isdata objects are commonly validated against schemas and versioned to maintain compatibility across systems.

Critiques emphasize that the term can be vague without a shared contract, and that maintaining strict isdata boundaries requires discipline in design and documentation.

See also data object, payload, JSON, schema validation, type predicates.