Skip Ribbon Commands Skip to main content
Skip Navigation LinksHome > Glossary
Glossary/Acronyms

This glossary provides a convenient reference to the definition of terms
pertinent to NIEM gathered in one place from many sources.

The intent is to encompass, over time, the technical terms in all released
NIEM program and process documents to foster common understanding
by all NIEM participants. This list is completely informative.
Readers are free to extract and use definitions
pertinent to their needs.

​
GlossaryTextSearch

Submit a New Term

Is there a term that should be added to the NIEM glossary?
Let us Know! Submit the term
and a brief definition and
we'll add it to the glossary

Submit a New Term

XML

See Extensible Markup Language (XML)​

XML Data Object

Depending on the context, this is a term meant to encompass several different data components. For example, a modeling data object might refer to an object and/or element. Alternatively, an XML data object might refer to XML elements, types, or both.​

XML Editing Software

XML editing software is necessary during the schema creation process. These tools provide a user-friendly interface to edit XML files, and also offer the ability to validate XML schemas and instances.​

XML Instance

An XML document that contains actual data and whose format and inclusion is specified and validated by an associated XML Schema​

XML Metadata Interchange (XMI)

​XML Metadata Interchange

XML Schema

Defines the vocabulary (elements and attributes), the content model (structure, element nesting, and text content), and data types (value constraints) of a class of XML documents. Note: When written with a capital S, the term refers specifically to the XML Schema Definition (XSD) language developed by the W3C. However, when written with a lowercase s, the meaning is more generic, referring to any of several schema languages for use with XML. In both cases, an XML Schema is used to validate XML instances, to verify that the instances conform to the model that the schema describes​

You are leaving the NIEM.gov website and entering an external link or a third-party site.

NIEM has provided this link because it provides additional information that may be useful or interesting and is being provided in a manner consistent with the intended purpose of the NIEM website.

NIEM cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by these third-party sites or any other linked site. NIEM is providing these links for your reference. In doing so, NIEM does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Select "OK" to continue, otherwise, select "Cancel"