From 3f388086cb7b9bb2fec54da6c4d02794c17b1b36 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Stefano Zacchiroli <zack@upsilon.cc> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:11:41 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] SWHID doc: improve wording of intrinsic parts v. the rest --- docs/persistent-identifiers.rst | 19 ++++++++++--------- 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/persistent-identifiers.rst b/docs/persistent-identifiers.rst index 301ce1fc..6f1fa590 100644 --- a/docs/persistent-identifiers.rst +++ b/docs/persistent-identifiers.rst @@ -7,18 +7,17 @@ SoftWare Heritage persistent IDentifiers (SWHID) **version 1.2** -Description -=========== +Overview +======== You can point to objects present in the Software Heritage archive by the means of **SoftWare Heritage persistent IDentifiers**, or **SWHID** for short, that are guaranteed to remain stable (persistent) over time. Their syntax, meaning, and usage is described below. Note that they are identifiers and not URLs, even -though an URL-based resolver for Software Heritage persistent identifiers is -also provided. +though URL-based resolvers for SWHIDs are also available. A SWHID can point to any software artifact (or "object") available in the -Software Heritage archive. Objects come in different types, and most notably: +Software Heritage archive. Objects come in different types: * contents * directories @@ -27,13 +26,15 @@ Software Heritage archive. Objects come in different types, and most notably: * snapshots Each object is identified by an intrinsic, type-specific object identifier that -is embedded in its SWHID as described below. SWHIDs are strong cryptographic -hashes computed on the entire set of object properties to form a `Merkle -structure <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkle_tree>`_. +is embedded in its SWHID as described below. The intrinsic identifiers embedded +in SWHIDs are strong cryptographic hashes computed on the entire set of object +properties. Together, these identifiers form a `Merkle structure +<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkle_tree>`_, specifically a Merkle DAG. See the :ref:`Software Heritage data model <data-model>` for an overview of object types and how they are linked together. See -:py:mod:`swh.model.identifiers` for details on how SWHIDs are computed. +:py:mod:`swh.model.identifiers` for details on how the intrinsic identifiers +embedded in SWHIDs are computed. Syntax -- GitLab