Metadata is often defined as data about data. It is “structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use or manage an information resource”, especially in a distributed network environment like for example the internet or an organization. A good example of metadata is the cataloging system found in libraries, which records for example the author, title, subject, and location on the shelf of a resource. Another is software system knowledge extraction of software objects such as data flows, control flows, call maps, architectures, business rules, business terms, and database schemas.
Metadata is usually categorized in three types:
- Descriptive metadata describes an information resource for identification and retrieval through elements such as title, author, and abstract.
- Structural metadata documents relationships within and among objects through elements such as links to other components (e.g., how pages are put together to form chapters).
- Administrative metadata helps to manage information resources through elements such as version number, archiving date, and other technical information for purposes of file management, rights management and preservation.
Read more about this topic: Metadata Standards