RFC - Non-Primitive Data Types (Graph)

[Alfred-Mountfield]

This PR is still a work-in progress.

We define six primitive data types in the Graph type system. These data types define value spaces for the inner properties of entities, and currently are limited to basic primitives such as "text" or "number". Building robust data models will require the ability to define constraints and define validation mechanisms (think maximum/minimum lengths on properties, or applying regular expressions to define the pattern of a string).

This RFC will capture our thoughts on how to achieve this within the type system utilizing #428 and some new extensions to our Data Type model -- culminating in allowing the creation of non-primitive, "custom" data types.

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[codecov]

Codecov Report

All modified and coverable lines are covered by tests ✅

Project coverage is 50.13%. Comparing base (2f693a5) to head (4683a2d).
Report is 71 commits behind head on main.

Additional details and impacted files

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[indietyp]

The specific reason why data types can be arrays if they can already be modeled using property types? This introduces some redundancy and I imagine confusion, as in: do I construct arrays in my property-type or data-type.

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[vilkinsons]

In December 2023, we introduced support for non-primitive data types in HASH, based on an advanced version of this RFC. We will be adding more and iterating on these, before introducing support for user-defined non-primitive data types (aka. "custom data types") in the HASH app: hashintel/hash#3784

This draft PR (#355) will most likely be finalized for public comment in follow-up to that work, with HASH's implementation serving as a live sandbox for the ideas discussed within this RFC.