sourceclass

Sourceclass is a term used in software development to refer to a class that represents the source data or input model for a process such as data binding, transformation, or code generation. The term is not standardized, and its exact meaning varies by framework or project. In many contexts, a sourceclass serves as the origin point from which other derived structures, mappings, or artifacts are produced.

In data binding or ETL pipelines, a sourceclass may define the fields, types, and constraints of input data. The framework uses this definition to map incoming records to target structures, validate data, and guide transformations.

In object-relational mapping (ORM) or persistence layers, sourceclass can denote the entity class that corresponds to a database table or view; it is the source for queries that retrieve objects and for persisting changes back to storage.

In code generation, a sourceclass can be the input model or interface from which additional classes, adapters, or services are generated. In model-driven development, it may be the model element that acts as the source for derived artifacts.

Because the term is ambiguous, practitioners should rely on their framework's terminology and check documentation for the exact meaning in that context. The concept is often paired with terms like targetclass, model, entity, or data transfer object (DTO).

See also: base class, superclass, entity, data model, DTO, ORM.