Sidebar
2.2.2.3.1 Immutable Data Objects
An immutable data object is data whose value cannot be changed. Any required update is recorded as a new immutable data object with a link back to its parent(s). An immutable data object represents things either real or virtual. The representation can range from a simple scalar value to a complex data structure of values. The things or items data objects represent are real-world things such as commodities or information. Commodities include things like gold, silver, grains, and so on. Information includes things like certificates of birth, death, marriage, or stock. Data objects can also represent virtual or abstract things such as virtual coins, frequent flier miles, loyalty points, data rights, etc.
The immutable data object component is focused on the care and maintenance of distributed, global data objects usually stored in a ledger, the identifiers (i.e., accounts) associated with the ledger, the transactions used to make updates to the ledger entries, and the wallets that contain identifier (i.e., account) information for a user. When immutable data objects represent a currency such as cryptocurrencies, the identifiers represent accounts; however, when the immutable data objects represent data such as commodities, inventories, and public records, the identifiers may not represent accounts but unique identifiers of the thing.
