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| 1 | +# JSON Schema Glossary |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +This document collects short explanations of terminology one may encounter within the JSON Schema community. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +Whilst many of the entries below have precise technical definitions, preference is given to explanations of their conversational use, with additional references linked for further information. |
| 6 | +This page is not meant to be [normative](#normative), nor is it meant to contain fully original research or explanation. |
| 7 | +It is meant to aid the understanding of those less familiar with formal language used within JSON Schema, or within specifications more broadly. |
| 8 | +(In fact, entries below make effort to avoid terminology like "normative" itself for reasons just mentioned.) |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +The entries on this page can be linked to via anchor links (e.g. `https://json-schema.org/learn/glossary.html#vocabulary`) when sharing a definition with others. |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +### draft |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +An individual release of the JSON Schema specification. |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +JSON Schema drafts are not intended to be provisional documents, as the layman's use of the word "draft" might indicate. |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +While future drafts may introduce new behavior or changes to existing behavior, each draft is a completed, released document, batching together changes to the specification, and intended for implementation and use. |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +The current list of drafts can be found [here](https://json-schema.org/specification-links.html#published-drafts). |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +### normative |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +In the context of JSON Schema, and formal specifications more broadly, a document which outlines standardized behavior. |
| 25 | +This is as distinct from *non*-normative or informational documents, meant to explain, simplify or offer opinions. |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +Distinguishing between whether a document is normative or not is intended to clarify to those using the document whether its contents are allowed to contradict or augment behavior described in other normative documents. |
| 28 | +JSON Schema's normative documents notably include its [specification](https://json-schema.org/specification.html). |
| 29 | +This page for instance, not being a normative document, is not able to proscribe new JSON Schema behavior not already covered by the specification. |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +##### See also |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +* [normative](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Normative) and [non-normative](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/non-normative) in the Mozilla Glossary, and its links |
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