Data Contracts

Data contracts formalize the format, content, and quality of shared data. Amfelt uses the Open Data Contract Standard (ODCS) to capture these contracts.

Authoritative Definitions

Links to external, authoritative documentation or definitions for an element.

Common Types

Shared primitive type definitions reused across the schema.

Custom Properties

Extension mechanism for arbitrary key-value metadata not covered by the standard.

Data Quality

Quality expectations attached to schema objects and properties: library checks, SQL rules, and custom assertions.

Pricing

Optional cost information for consuming the data product described by the contract.

Schema

The logical data model of a contract: objects such as tables, views, or topics and the properties, types, and constraints they expose.

Server

Where the data physically lives, including the connection target and the per-technology settings for each supported server type.

Service Levels

Service-level agreement properties such as freshness, availability, and retention targets.

Support

Communication channels for the contract, such as a support email, chat, or issue tracker.

Overview

Data contracts define the format, content, and quality of a data sharing agreement for a specific data source. Amfelt implements the Open Data Contract Standard (ODCS) v3.0.0 to define and maintain these contracts. Data contracts use the YAML format and are validated with a JSON Schema Draft 2019-09 .

Full Schema Specification

odcs-json-schema-v3.0.0.json

Example

You can explore a full example on the website of the Open Data Contract Standard (maintained by Bitol ). The same website also includes an example of a Postgres Adventureworks Contract .

Contract Fundamentals

Property	Type	Required	Description
`apiVersion`	string	Yes	Version of the standard used to build data contract. Default value is v3.0.0. Default value is: `v3.0.0`. Valid values are: `v3.0.0`, `v2.2.2`, `v2.2.1`, `v2.2.0`.
Version of the standard used to build data contract. Default value is v3.0.0. Default value is: `v3.0.0`. Valid values are: `v3.0.0`, `v2.2.2`, `v2.2.1`, `v2.2.0`.
`contractCreatedTs`	string	No	Timestamp in UTC of when the data contract was created.
Timestamp in UTC of when the data contract was created.
`customProperties`	Array	No

`dataProduct`	string	No	The name of the data product.
The name of the data product.
`description`	object	No	High level description of the dataset.
High level description of the dataset.
`description.limitations`	string	No	Limitations of the dataset.
Limitations of the dataset.
`description.purpose`	string	No	Purpose of the dataset.
Purpose of the dataset.
`description.usage`	string	No	Intended usage of the dataset.
Intended usage of the dataset.
`domain`	string	No	Name of the logical data domain. Examples: `imdb_ds_aggregate`, `receiver_profile_out`, `transaction_profile_out`.
Name of the logical data domain. Examples: `imdb_ds_aggregate`, `receiver_profile_out`, `transaction_profile_out`.
`id`	string	Yes	A unique identifier used to reduce the risk of dataset name collisions, such as a UUID.
A unique identifier used to reduce the risk of dataset name collisions, such as a UUID.
`kind`	string	Yes	The kind of file this is. Valid value is `DataContract`. Default value is: `DataContract`.
The kind of file this is. Valid value is `DataContract`. Default value is: `DataContract`.
`name`	string	No	Name of the data contract.
Name of the data contract.
`price`	Pricing	No

`provenance`	object	No	Origin metadata recording where this contract was introspected from.
Origin metadata recording where this contract was introspected from.
`provenance.introspectedAt`	string	No

`provenance.introspectedFrom`	string	No

`provenance.sourceDriver`	string	No

`provenance.sourceEnvironment`	string	No

`roles`	Role []	No	A list of roles that will provide user access to the dataset.
A list of roles that will provide user access to the dataset.
`schema`	SchemaObject []	No	A list of elements within the schema to be cataloged.
A list of elements within the schema to be cataloged.
`servers`	Server []	No	List of servers where the datasets reside.
List of servers where the datasets reside.
`slaDefaultElement`	string	No	Element (using the element path notation) to do the checks on.
Element (using the element path notation) to do the checks on.
`slaProperties`	Object []	No	A list of key/value pairs for SLA specific properties. There is no limit on the type of properties (more details to come).
A list of key/value pairs for SLA specific properties. There is no limit on the type of properties (more details to come).
`status`	string	Yes	Current status of the dataset. Valid values are `production`, `test`, or `development`. Examples: `production`, `test`, `development`.
Current status of the dataset. Valid values are `production`, `test`, or `development`. Examples: `production`, `test`, `development`.
`support`	Support	No

`tags`	Tags	No

`team`	Team []	No

`tenant`	string	No	Indicates the property the data is primarily associated with. Value is case insensitive.
Indicates the property the data is primarily associated with. Value is case insensitive.
`version`	string	Yes	Current version of the data contract.
Current version of the data contract.

Extensions

Amfelt adds several custom properties to the open data contract standard. The below table lists these custom properties for each contract section.

Section	Custom property	Description
`schema`	`catalog_schema`	Defines the name of the database schema in which the object resides. For example, the table `SalesPerson` of the AdventureWorks database is defined within the schema `Sales`.
Defines the name of the database schema in which the object resides. For example, the table `SalesPerson` of the AdventureWorks database is defined within the schema `Sales`.
`schema.properties`	`foreign_key`	Boolean value that indicates if the property (table attribute) includes a foreign key constraint. If set, the custom properties `foreign_namespace`, `foreign_object`, and `foreign_property` define the targeted property.
Boolean value that indicates if the property (table attribute) includes a foreign key constraint. If set, the custom properties `foreign_namespace`, `foreign_object`, and `foreign_property` define the targeted property.
`schema.properties`	`foreign_namespace`	Name of the namespace (for example, the database schema) in which the targeted foreign key object resides. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
Name of the namespace (for example, the database schema) in which the targeted foreign key object resides. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
`schema.properties`	`foreign_object`	Name of the object (for example, the table) that owns the targeted foreign key property. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
Name of the object (for example, the table) that owns the targeted foreign key property. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
`schema.properties`	`foreign_property`	Name of the property (for example, the column) that is targeted by the foreign key. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
Name of the property (for example, the column) that is targeted by the foreign key. Only applicable when `foreign_key` is true.
`server`	`*`	Includes server-specific connection settings. Each setting is specified as key-value pair.
Includes server-specific connection settings. Each setting is specified as key-value pair.

Last updated on October 21, 2026

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