SNAP Schema and Metadata

Reliable analysis depends on consistent schema and rich metadata.

This page simulates how SNAP defines, validates, and exposes structural and descriptive information for every dataset.

Core schema concepts

• Entity: the main analytical object (person, firm, region, household).
• Dimension: categorical axis (region, gender, age group, sector).
• Measure: numeric value (employment rate, vacancy count, wage index).
• Time key: period reference (year, quarter, month).

Metadata fields (simulated)

• dataset_code
• title
• description
• source
• owner
• license
• geographic_level
• temporal_coverage
• methodology
• quality_notes

Data dictionary

Each variable should include:

• Name and label
• Data type
• Allowed values / value ranges
• Missing value conventions
• Business meaning

Versioning strategy

SNAP uses version tags for schema evolution:

• major: breaking changes
• minor: new optional fields
• patch: metadata-only corrections

Backward compatibility

When possible, SNAP provides:

• Alias mappings for renamed columns
• Transitional metadata notes
• Deprecation warnings before field removal

Quality annotations

Metadata may include quality annotations like:

• Sampling limitations
• Regional comparability caveats
• Methodological breaks in time series

Debug examples

Test that these metadata sections render in UI:

• Variable list tables
• Methodology notes
• License and attribution panels

Recommended checks

• Compare schema version with last ingestion run.
• Confirm all dimensions have documented value sets.
• Ensure time keys use a single standardized format.