45 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
45 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
# Conventions
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## In theory
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The farmOS data model describes basic record types that can be used to
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represent a farming system, but *how* those record types are used is left up to
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the user in large part.
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It is not the data model's responsibility to enforce an opinionated standard
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for all data that it stores. Instead, it aims to provide the flexibility for
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these standards to be developed through a collaborative community effort on top
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of the data model over time. These standards are collectively referred to as
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"conventions".
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Conventions are not part of the data model itself, but understanding how they
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relate to and are built on top of the model helps develop good record keeping
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habits, which result in more consistent and comparable data.
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One of the longer term goals of farmOS is to be a platform that supports the
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collaborative development of these conventions over time. As new standards
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are developed and adopted in the community, they can be written into modules
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that provide different levels of "enforcement of" or "compliance to" these
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conventions.
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The data model, combined with established conventions, and tools like the
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[farmOS Aggregator](https://github.com/farmOS/farmOS-aggregator) can enable a
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wide variety of data sharing, aggregating, and reporting use-cases.
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## In practice
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Within an individual farmOS instance, you may develop your own conventions
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around naming your Assets. Or you may develop a standard operating procedure
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for certain types of common data entry, to ensure that it always goes into
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farmOS in the same manner and format.
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Across separate farmOS instances, developing shared conventions enables data to
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be more easily aggregated and compared at larger scales.
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Some ways in which conventions are already being developed include:
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- Quick forms, surveys, and other data entry tools that collect specific
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information and store it consistently in Logs.
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- Reports that query the database for Logs that match a certain convention
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and summarize them in different ways.
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