resourceType

A resourcetype, or resource type, is a classification used by information systems to identify the nature and purpose of a resource. It groups resources by common characteristics such as the kind of service they provide (compute, storage, network, identity), their data model, and their management requirements. Defining a resourcetype helps systems apply consistent provisioning, configuration, access controls, billing, and lifecycle management across differently named items that share the same role.

In cloud platforms and infrastructure as code, resourcetypes are a fundamental organizing concept. Examples include cloud provider resource types in templates or templates languages, such as AWS CloudFormation resource types (for example, AWS::S3::Bucket) or Azure Resource Manager types (for example, Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines). In Terraform, the resource type is shown as the provider name followed by the resource kind (for example, aws_s3_bucket). In Kubernetes, resource types correspond to API kinds like Pod, Deployment, or Service, which define the schema and behavior of those objects.

Beyond provisioning, resourcetypes support governance, security, and cost management. Policies and access controls are often specified at the resource-type level, enabling broad rules that apply to all resources of a given kind. Asset management and CMDBs use resourcetype to classify and inventory items for auditing and reporting. Custom resource types allow extensions in systems like Kubernetes via CustomResourceDefinitions, enabling new kinds of resources to be managed within existing frameworks.

Overall, a resourcetype provides a stable semantic category that underpins consistent handling, policy enforcement, and lifecycle processes across diverse resources.