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Clarify description vs metadata before next release #190

@richmolj

Description

@richmolj

The catalog capability in working-draft introduces metadata described as:

Business-defined custom data extending the standard product model.

We also have description for a similar purpose e.g. providing a shipping date range (since there are no structured date fields in the core Fulfillment extension).

These are both important, powerful concepts so we should clarify their usage and make first-class spec citizens. My sense is:

  • description: presentational; buyer-facing display content.
    • Example: display a shipping date range for when the package arrives.
  • metadata: business-defined extensibility data - it lets merchants attach custom structured data that the
    standard product model doesn't cover. It's not necessarily shown to the buyer; it's for the business/system
    to extend the schema.
    • Example: structured data that feeds into search engine algorithms

Side note: I've found it helpful to describe UCP as an Experience API, not a System API. Not everything needs to be structured, documented, typed, comprehensive. May be worth framing the spec this way, YMMV.

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