sourcebound
Sourcebound is a term used in information science to describe data, artifacts, or digital objects that retain a verifiable connection to their origin. A sourcebound item carries intrinsic provenance, such that its origin, authorship, timestamp, and chain of custody can be traced and verified independently of where or how the item is stored or distributed. The concept emphasizes the binding of an artifact to a specific source, preventing reuse that cannot be traced back to its origin.
The term has appeared in discussions of data provenance, reproducible research, and digital media licensing, and
Applications include scientific datasets with complete sourcebound provenance, supply chain traceability, software build artifacts with linked
See also: provenance, data lineage, cryptographic hash, digital signature.