Schema
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A schema in general is a specific, a well-documented, and consistent plan. The related word, scheme means a loosely described plan.
The word schema comes from the Greek word "σχήμα" (skhēma), which means shape or more generally plan. The Greek plural is "σχήματα" (skhēmata). In English, both schemas and schemata are used.
Schema can mean any of several specific things:
- In computer science, a model
- XML schema, a way to define the structure, content and, to some extent, the semantics of XML documents.
- Database schema, a description of the structure of a database or a directory (file systems); See conceptual graph, semantic network, semantic web, data model.
- conceptual schema, a map of concepts and their relationships
- logical schema, a map of entities and their attributes and relations
- physical schema, a particular implementation of a logical schema
- Part of a formal specification written in the Z specification language.
- In genetic algorithms or genetic programming, a set of programs or bit strings that have some genotypic similarity; usually specified by a template that members of the set match, including a fixed part and a variable part. Wild-card symbols ("don't-care" symbols) represent the variable part. In tree schemata, both the content and the shape of the tree must be considered. See also Defining Length, Disruption, Effective fitness, Length schema, Wild-card symbol
- In formal logic, a rule (usually recursively definable) describing a set (usually infinite) of statements. For example, the axiom schema of replacement is a schema of axioms in axiomatic set theory.
- A minimal and specialized ontology (computer science), represented as a set of questions whose answers describe the entities involving some narrow range of actions. For example, a library card catalogue schema asks librarians only to provide enough information about a book to help library users decide if they want to browse through it and how to find it. By contrast, an ontology enables a much broader range of actions.
- Schema (psychology), a mental set or representation.
- Schema and Great Schema (Μεγαλοσχήμος), parts of the monastic attire of advanced monks and nuns in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Prior knowledge.
- In philosophy, Schema (Kant), the referencing of a category to a sense impression through time.