Nexus Standards · NS-16 · Proposed

NS-16

NS-16: UNI application profile (context names such as NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN; how articles, documents, code, data, APIs and interfaces carry the UNI)

NS-16 is a proposed Nexus Standard; the artifacts it governs are identified by UNIs (Unique Nexus Identifier). NS-1 defines the identifier and NS-9 the contextual record. NS-16 fixes how the identifier is applied: the one pattern that an article, a document, a source file, a dataset, an API response, a page, a dashboard panel and a citation all follow, so that anyone who reads NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN anywhere knows that it denotes the risk data class, the water domain and Canada, and can move from the name to the record, from the record to the evidence, and back. The pattern is the same in every language, programming environment and publishing system. The worked example throughout is an article about water risk data for Canada.

All standards All standards

01Instrument

Read a UNI.

Type or paste a Uniform Nexus Identifier: each segment is decoded against grammar 0.2 and the region, when it names a country, is lit on the globe above.

02Overview

Summary

NS-16record

Statusproposed
Responsible scopetrust, authorization and assurance; knowledge, records and learning; public, client and partner delivery
IdentifierNXS-STD-ST-000015
Rules stated0
Programme areas0
Documentstandards/NS-16-uni-application-profile.md
Source filesrepository

Nexus Standards · proposed

03Status

Status of NS-16

Preparatory working draft, circulated for review and comment. Not for implementation. Prepared and circulated by The Secretariat of the Nexus Standards, Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI Canada) (public@therisk.global), 17 October 2026. Technical review area: TR-02. This document is not a Nexus Standard; it may change without notice and is not to be implemented, relied upon or cited as a Nexus Standard. Its stage is designated only by the Global Standards Council and its technical committees under NS-13. Recipients are invited to submit comments with supporting reasons, and to notify any patent rights of which they are aware. See the notice of circulation.

04Earth observation

Rain, flood water and soil moisture in Canada

The map frames Canada as an example geography for the context name in the standard's own example (water, Canada); the frame gives context and is not a statement of where the standards apply. Shown at first: precipitation rate, daily mean (GPM IMERG, NASA GES DISC) and flood water, 3-day composite (VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE). The layer drawer adds root-zone soil moisture, 0 to 100 cm (SMAP Level 4); snow cover (VIIRS NOAA-20 NDSI); water storage anomaly, monthly (GRACE-FO JPL mascons); sea surface temperature anomaly (GHRSST MUR25); and true colour (VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance). NASA products are served through NASA GIBS under NASA's open data policy, with acknowledgement; coastlines, boundaries and place names come from NASA GIBS reference layers (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and Natural Earth (public domain). Each layer shows its own observation date; full credits are given under the map.

The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.

Layers 2

Water now

Latest available

NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth

Loading the latest NASA imagery.

Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.

Rain, flood water and root-zone soil moisture from NASA satellites and models, with long-term water stress, framed on Canada.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date; indicators, not assessments of any place.

Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural EarthSources and licences

We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
GPM IMERG precipitation, NASA Precipitation Processing System; distributed by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
SMAP Level 4 soil moisture and snow mass, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office; distributed by the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
GRACE and GRACE-FO JPL mascon solution, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; distributed by the NASA Physical Oceanography DAAC (PO.DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
GHRSST Level 4 MUR analyses, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; distributed by the NASA Physical Oceanography DAAC (PO.DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). Cite as: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Spacesystems and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team (2019). ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003. doi:10.5067/ASTER/ASTGTM.003. NASA open data
Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). ODbL
Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
Globe: MapLibre GL JS 6.9.1, BSD-3-Clause, © MapLibre contributors.
NASA GIBS: We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
Past year, daily temperature and sunshine (NASA POWER): These data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) POWER Project funded through the NASA Earth Science/Applied Science Program..
Optional layers (10 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.

Layers and dates

Precipitation rate, daily mean: GPM IMERG, NASA GES DISC · 12 Oct 2026
Flood water, 3-day composite: VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE · 14 Oct 2026
Root-zone soil moisture, 0 to 100 cm: SMAP Level 4, NASA NSIDC DAAC · 11 Oct 2026
Snow cover: VIIRS NOAA-20 NDSI, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
Water storage anomaly, monthly: GRACE-FO JPL mascons, NASA JPL PO.DAAC · July 2022
Sea surface temperature anomaly: GHRSST MUR25, NASA JPL PO.DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026

05Canvas

NS-16 among the standards.

Canvas · NS-16 among the standardsProcess diagram

Fig.The standards on which NS-16 builds, those that cite it and the programme areas where it applies, from the texts and the registry.

06Process

The standard as a process

A national context is named from registry codes and its context name derived from a UNI (Unique Nexus Identifier); articles, policies and datasets about it carry the same context segments; services keep the context explicit; interfaces show it as a context chip; the National Standards Council maintains the national application profile. 8 operations in 5 phases; each states its actor, its decision rule, the record it leaves and the rule identifiers it implements (20 rules of NS-16 and the standards it applies).

Process · Applying the UNI in a national context: the application profile8 operations · 5 phases

All operations in order (8)

01
Context codes start · Context
WAT, CAN, WUT and PRD come from the domains, sectors, regions and environments registries; an artifact carries only the segments true of all of it.
Who
the National Working Group drafting the profile
Decision rule
segments are registry codes, not words; only the segments true of all of the artifact
Record
domain, sector, region and environment codes from the registries
Implements
NS16-R3, NS16-R4
02
Derive the name step · Context
One name covers many artifacts that differ only in category and serial.
Who
the catalog
Decision rule
the name is derived from a UNI by dropping category and serial; it is never minted
Record
the context name, e.g. NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN
Implements
NS16-R1, NS16-R2
03
Article at draft record · Artifacts
Translations are versions with a language; a claim without a citable record states how it was obtained.
Who
the authors
Decision rule
minted at draft; a new edition is a new version; every number cites its record
Record
an article UNI minted when the draft is created
Implements
NS16-R5, NS16-R6, NS16-R7
04
Policy for context record · Artifacts
Attestations carry no context segments of their own; the subject UNI carries them.
Who
the competent issuer
Decision rule
the issuer is the scope; the subject context is in the segments and selectors
Record
a policy UNI with the issuer as scope and the context as segments
Implements
NS16-R10, NS16-R11
05
Dataset and records record · Artifacts
Rendered tiles and figures carry the UNIs of the data they rendered.
Who
the data steward
Decision rule
every table that stores records has a uni column; the context name is derived from it
Record
a dataset with the context segments and records with their own grammar
Implements
NS16-R16, NS16-R17, NS16-R18
06
Explicit context step · Services
Narrower contexts are included on request, never the reverse.
Who
each service
Decision rule
a context is never derived from the caller's address, language or tenant
Record
list endpoints scoped by context name; 201 with the allocated UNI
Implements
NS16-R19, NS16-R20, NS16-R21, NS16-R22
07
Context chip step · Interfaces
Search finds the same records by UNI, context name or registry label.
Who
each interface
Decision rule
no score, badge, rank or live state for a context; exports carry the UNIs shown
Record
the context chip and the records with their UNIs and recorded states
Implements
NS16-R23, NS16-R24, NS16-R26, NS16-R27
08
National profile end · Adoption
The NSC maintains the profile for its jurisdiction and engages competent national authorities through its public-authority liaison.
Who
the National Standards Council (NSC)
Decision rule
national adoption is a decision of the NSC; national law and language prevail
Record
the national application profile, adopted, adapted or referenced
Implements
NS16-R1

Fig.Phases read left to right; each card names the operation, its actor and the record it leaves, and each edge label names the hand-over. Play, step or scrub; the detail panel gives the full text of the selected operation. Sources: NS-16: UNI application profile.

07Specification

NS-16 clause by clause

10 clauses and 0 rules as stated in the standard, presented with numbered clauses, stable rule anchors, versions and changes.

Versions0.1.016 October 2026current versionchangelog0.6.0 (2026-10-19), complete release

The pattern (NS16-R1 to NS16-R4)

Context name   NXS-<SCOPE>[-<DOMAIN>][-<SECTOR>][-<REGION>][-<ENV>]            NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN Artifact UNI   NXS-<SCOPE>-<CAT>[-<DOMAIN>][-<SECTOR>][-<REGION>][-<ENV>]-<SERIAL>[@<VERSION>] NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012@1.0.0 Context record NXS-<SCOPE>-DP|PR[-<DOMAIN>][-<SECTOR>][-<REGION>][-<ENV>]-<SERIAL>   NXS-GRX-DP-WAT-CAN-000001

NS16-R1 One name, many artifacts. Everything about one context shall carry the same context name and differ only in CAT and SERIAL: the article NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012, the dataset NXS-GRX-DS-WAT-CAN-000004, the report NXS-GRX-RP-WAT-CAN-000002, the dashboard figure NXS-GRX-FG-WAT-CAN-000009, the deployment NXS-GRX-DP-WAT-CAN-000001 and the clause NXS-GOV-CL-WAT-CAN-000003 (the scope of a clause is its issuer; its context segments are its subject).
NS16-R2 The name is derived; the UNI is allocated. A context name shall not be minted and shall not be written with a serial; it is computed from a UNI by removing CAT and SERIAL. Writing NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN-000012 (without CAT) is an error, as is inventing a serial.
NS16-R3 Segments are codes, not words. WAT, CAN, WUT and PRD shall come from the registries (domains.yaml, sectors.yaml, regions.yaml, nexus-standards.yaml#identifier.environments). A jurisdiction label that a form already holds (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2, GLOBAL or a regional label) shall reach a REGION only through registry/jurisdictions.yaml, never by guesswork. A new domain or sector shall be proposed under NS-13 before any artifact uses it. Prose spells out the meaning next to the code on first use: "NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN (risk data, water, Canada)".
NS16-R4 The most specific true context, and nothing more. An artifact shall carry only the segments that are true of all of it. A Canada-wide water article is …-WAT-CAN-…; an article on water utilities only adds WUT; a global water method carries WAT alone; an artifact about two countries carries the M49 area that contains both, or no REGION, with the countries in context.jurisdictions or in the record's keywords. A segment is never added for search-engine reasons.

Articles and publications (AR, PP, RP, TN, WP, BK, CP, PS, PO) (NS16-R5 to NS16-R8)

Surface	Carries	Example
Front matter (Markdown, HTML head, word-processor document properties)	`uni`, `contextName`, `version`, `publisherRef`, `license`	`uni: NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012`, `contextName: NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`
Title block	the title; the UNI line beneath it in the document's identifier style; the context name as a chip	"Water observations for Canadian basins" · `NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012@1.0.0` · chip `NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`
Running header or footer	the UNI with its version	`NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012@1.0.0 · page 3`
Citation (NS-2)	UNI, version, publisher, date, resolver URL	`… NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012@1.0.0. https://nexustandards.com/uni/NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012`
Data and figures inside	each cited by its own UNI and version in the caption or table note	Figure 2 `NXS-GRX-FG-WAT-CAN-000009@1`, data `NXS-GRX-DS-WAT-CAN-000004@2`
Content management system	content metadata `_nexus_uni`, `<meta name="nexus-uni">`, `data-nexus-uni` on the article root; a slug derived from the title, never from the UNI	`/water-observations-canadian-basins/`

NS16-R5 The UNI of an article shall be minted when the draft is created, not when it is published; the record is DRAFT until publication and never changes identifier.
NS16-R6 A new edition that changes claims shall be a new version (@2.0.0) of the same UNI; a translation is a version with language set; a new article is a new serial.
NS16-R7 Every number, figure, dataset and model on which the article relies shall be cited by UNI and version; a claim without a citable record carries the qualifying wording of NS0-P8 ("not observed", "estimated", "declared").
NS16-R8 An article shall not name a system by a brand word; it names it by its neutral display name (for example NXS-GRX) and by its context name, with the meaning spelled out on first use.

Documents, standards, policies and clauses (DC, ST, PC, CL, TN, DL) (NS16-R9 to NS16-R11)

NS16-R9 The first line of every Markdown document shall be Nexus-UNI: <uni>; a context-specific document also carries the context name in its title block (NS-4). Standards themselves carry no context segments: they are in the STD scope and global.
NS16-R10 A policy or clause shall carry its issuer as SCOPE and its subject context as segments: NXS-GOV-PC-WAT-CAN-000001 is a governance policy for water in Canada. Its appliesTo and subjects selectors list the same domain and jurisdiction, and the standards validator refuses a mismatch between segments and selectors.
NS16-R11 The attestations of a clause (NXS-NSF-AT-…) shall carry no context segments of their own: the subject UNI inside the attestation carries them.

Code, schemas, migrations and models (SW, SV, SC, MG, WF, MD) (NS16-R12 to NS16-R15)

Surface	Carries	Example
Source file header, line 1 or 2	a comment `Nexus-UNI: <uni>` in the comment syntax of the language (the module's own UNI, in the scope of its functional class, without context segments)	`// Nexus-UNI: NXS-GRX-SW-000004`, `# Nexus-UNI: NXS-GRX-SW-000004`
Context-specific module (for example a Canadian water adapter)	the module UNI with segments	`// Nexus-UNI: NXS-GRX-SW-WAT-CAN-000001`
Package manifest	`nexus.uni`, `nexus.contextName`	`"nexus": { "uni": "NXS-GRX-SW-000004" }`
JSON Schema (2020-12)	`$id` carries the repository path; `x-nexus-uni` carries the UNI	`"x-nexus-uni": "NXS-STD-SC-000002"`
Database migration	a comment `Nexus-UNI: <uni>` on line 2	`-- Nexus-UNI: NXS-GOV-MG-000001`
Model card, dataset sheet (NS-12)	`uni`, `contextName`, the UNIs of the training data	`NXS-GRX-MD-WAT-CAN-000002`
Container image, SBOM, build attestation	the UNI as an OCI image annotation `org.nexus.uni` and in the SBOM's external references
Version control	a commit trailer `Nexus-UNI: <uni>` when a commit introduces or versions an artifact (optional, recommended)

NS16-R12 The UNI of a code module shall identify the module, not its deployments; a deployment is an NS-9 context record (DP) whose context.ofUni is the module or system UNI, and the deployment's context name (NXS-GRX-WAT-WUT-CAN-PRD) is what operators, dashboards and incident records use.
NS16-R13 The header UNI shall be checked by the repository validator against the catalog; a header that names a UNI the catalog does not hold fails validation.
NS16-R14 Configuration keyed by context shall use the context name as the key (contexts["NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN"]), never a free-text label, so that configuration, records and pages join on one string.
NS16-R15 Identifiers in code shall be strings validated by an NS-1 parser (for example parseId in the reference tool tools/nexus-id.mjs); code shall not build a UNI by concatenation, except by formatting (for example with formatId) a serial that a catalog or record allocation authority returned.

Data and records (DS, EV; NS-3 record kinds) (NS16-R16 to NS16-R18)

NS16-R16 A dataset about a context shall carry the context segments: NXS-GRX-DS-WAT-CAN-000004. Its NS-3 records keep their own grammar (NXS-GRX-OB-CAN-000042@3): record kinds carry REGION and may carry DOMAIN and SECTOR (NS16-O1). The dataset lists the UNIs of its records in the STAC, DCAT and PROV-O crosswalks (NS-3b).
NS16-R17 Every table or file that stores records shall have a uni column or field holding the full UNI and, where it helps queries, a context_name column derived from it; the derivation is a function of the UNI, never a second source of truth.
NS16-R18 A map tile, figure or product rendered from data shall carry the UNIs of the data it rendered (NS-5) and its own UNI; a tile without a provenance UNI is a fixture and is labelled as one.

APIs and services (SV) (NS16-R19 to NS16-R22)

Surface	Carries
Response header	`X-Nexus-UNI: <uni of the primary record>`; `X-Nexus-Context: <context name>` when the response is scoped to a context
Response body	`uni` on every record; `contextName` on every list scoped to a context; never a derived score without the UNIs it came from
Request	context filters use the context name or its segments (`?context=NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN` or `?domain=WAT&region=CAN`), never a free-text label
Resolver	`GET /uni/<uni>` returns the landing page or JSON; `GET /ctx/<contextName>` returns every published record of the context, newest first, grouped by CAT
OpenAPI 3.1	`x-nexus-uni` on the document and on every operation that serves a catalogued record
Errors	an RFC 9457 problem details object with `uni` and `contextName` when known, and a typed code (`UNI_INVALID`, `UNI_NOT_IN_CATALOG`, `CONTEXT_UNKNOWN`)

NS16-R19 A service shall report its own UNI (SV) in its health response; a service deployed for a context shall also report the UNI of the deployment context record (DP) and the context name in its readiness response.
NS16-R20 An API shall not derive a context from the caller's network address, language or tenant; the context is explicit in the request or on the record.
NS16-R21 A list endpoint scoped to a context shall return records of that exact context name and, when ?include=narrower is given, records whose names extend it (NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN includes NXS-GRX-WAT-WUT-CAN); never the reverse.
NS16-R22 A write that creates a catalogued artifact shall return 201 with the allocated UNI and the X-Nexus-UNI header; when the allocation authority is unavailable, the response carries the typed uniAllocation state and the record stays DRAFT (NS-3 section 4).

Interfaces: pages, panels, dashboards and passports (NS16-R23 to NS16-R27)

Element	Rule
Page head	`<meta name="nexus-uni">`, `<link rel="canonical">` to the resolver landing page, JSON-LD `identifier`
Breadcrumb	display name, then the context name segments in order, then the artifact: `NXS-GRX › WAT › CAN › Article 000012`
Identifier line	the full UNI with its version in a monospaced font, a copy action and a link to `/uni/<uni>`
Context chip	`NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`, one chip, linking to `/ctx/<contextName>`; its accessible description spells out each segment
Panel	every row shows its UNI (or its typed pending state) and its claim ceiling; a context panel is titled by the context name
Passport (NS-15)	identity section: the SU UNI first, then the contexts (DP, PR) to which the subject belongs, each as a context chip
Filters	by segment, with the registry labels (Domain: Water; Region: Canada), never free text
Empty state	"No record is catalogued for NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN", with the typed reason; never a blank

NS16-R23 An interface shall not show a score, badge, rank or "live" state for a context; it shows records, their UNIs and their recorded states (NS0-P8).
NS16-R24 A context chip shall be the only place where a context is named as an identifier; free-text labels ("Canada water programme") are titles, never identifiers, and do not appear without the chip.
NS16-R25 Tokens, type and both light and dark themes shall follow the UI/UX kit; the identifier line uses the kit's monospaced token; the chip uses the identifier style, never a brand colour.
NS16-R26 Every figure, CSV file, PDF or image exported from a dashboard shall carry the UNIs of what it shows in its metadata and footer.
NS16-R27 Search shall index the UNI, the context name and each segment with its registry label, so that "Canada water" and NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN find the same records. Registry labels may be translated; the codes are not.

Worked example: water risk data for Canada

Thing	UNI	Context name	Where it shows
The risk data service	`NXS-GRX-SV-000001` (service)	`NXS-GRX`	service pages, health response
Production deployment for Canadian water utilities	`NXS-GRX-DP-WAT-WUT-CAN-PRD-000001`	`NXS-GRX-WAT-WUT-CAN-PRD`	operator panel, readiness response, incident records
Water observations dataset for Canada	`NXS-GRX-DS-WAT-CAN-000004@2`	`NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`	STAC, DCAT, dataset page
One observation record	`NXS-GRX-OB-CAN-000042@3`	`NXS-GRX-CAN`	record API, evidence lists
Water risk method card	`NXS-GRX-MD-WAT-000002`	`NXS-GRX-WAT`	method register
Article	`NXS-GRX-AR-WAT-CAN-000012@1.0.0`	`NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`	publishing site, citation, Zenodo deposit
Figure in the article	`NXS-GRX-FG-WAT-CAN-000009@1`	`NXS-GRX-WAT-CAN`	caption, export footer
Policy for Canadian water operators	`NXS-GOV-PC-WAT-WUT-CAN-000001`	`NXS-GOV-WAT-WUT-CAN`	policy register, panel
Clause: observation coverage	`NXS-GOV-CL-WAT-CAN-000003`	`NXS-GOV-WAT-CAN`	policy register, evaluation
Attestation of the clause on the deployment	`NXS-NSF-AT-000017`	none (the subject carries the context)	passport policy section, panel

Reading any row: the display name says which functional class, the chip says where and about what, the UNI says which artifact and version, and the resolver says what is recorded about it.

Conformance (NS-14)

Level	Requirements
NS-16 Basic	R1, R2, R3, R9, R12, R13, R15, R19, R22, R23
NS-16 Standard	Basic, and R4 to R8, R10, R14, R16, R17, R20, R21, R24, R27
NS-16 Full	every rule

An implementation declares its level in registry/consumers.yaml; VERIFIED requires NS-11 attestations by an evaluator with a mandate (the repository validator and an API contract validator are the evaluators of R9, R13, R19 and R22).

Open items

NS16-O1: whether record kinds (NS-3) may carry DOMAIN and SECTOR in production allocations, or REGION only (a change to the allocation key of every implementation).
NS16-O2: how the /ctx/ resolver treats restricted records (count only, or omit).
NS16-O3: whether subdivision jurisdictions (ISO 3166-2, for example CA-ON) become a fifth segment or stay in the record only; they stay in the record only until decided.
NS16-O4 (resolved 2026-10-16): jurisdiction labels already held by forms reach the REGION segment through registry/jurisdictions.yaml (alpha-2, GLOBAL and regional labels mapped to alpha-3 or M49; EU deliberately absent), which implementations use unchanged and test for drift.

Changes between versions

One published version is available (0.1.0); a comparison between versions is shown once a second version is published.

Clause numbers follow the sections of the document; rule identifiers () are stable anchors. With script enabled, each clause and rule has a permalink and a machine-readable view (YAML and JSON), and the j and k keys move between clauses.

08Research hub

Recent research on NS-16

Recent peer-reviewed articles, preprints, datasets and reports on the subject of this standard, retrieved at the time of reading from open scholarly metadata services (OpenAlex, Crossref, DataCite, Zenodo, arXiv, Europe PMC, OpenAIRE Graph) with search terms composed from the registry. Each work is listed with its authors, venue, year, type, open-access status and licence, and links to its DOI or landing page. Sources not yet enabled for live display on this site are listed for reference and are not queried.

Search termsapplication profile; metadata application profile; persistent identifiers; identifier scheme; Schema.org vocabulary; DataCite Metadata Schemacombined with: metadata; identifier; interoperability; dataDerived from the subject of the standard and its rules, and the external standards of its crosswalk domains.

OpenAlexlisted for reference; not queried
Crossreflisted for reference; not queried
DataCitelisted for reference; not queried
Zenodolisted for reference; not queried
arXivlisted for reference; not queried
Europe PMClisted for reference; not queried
OpenAIRE Graphlisted for reference; not queried

No source is enabled for live display on this site yet: the sources are listed for reference and none is queried. Once the publisher of record enables a source after its terms are reviewed, recent works are listed here. Metadata and links only: title, authors, venue, year, type, open-access status and licence as each source records them; works are listed for orientation, not reviewed or endorsed.

09Source

NS-16 in the standards repository

The text, schemas, machine-readable files, registry rows, tests and history behind NS-16, on the main branch of the canonical repository. Text, registry, schemas and catalog are CC BY 4.0; tools and tests are Apache-2.0.

Source text

File	What it holds	Links
`standards/NS-16-uni-application-profile.md`	NXS-STD-ST-000015	Raw · History · Suggest an edit
`standards/INDEX.md`	status and document of every standard	History

Schemas

File	What it holds	Links
`schemas/nexus-artifact-record.v1.json`	Nexus artifact record (NS-1)	Raw

Machine-readable files

File	What it holds	Links
`catalog/artifact-catalog.yaml`	catalog records · 2 mentions	First mention, line 597

Registry rows

File	What it holds	Links
`registry/open-standards-stack.yaml`	Open-standards and open-source stack under the UNI · 6 rows or mentions	Line 65
`registry/nexus-standards.yaml`	Nexus Standards NS-1 - the UNI (Unique Nexus Identifier) and artifact catalog · 4 rows or mentions	Line 46
`registry/standard-packages.yaml`	Standard packages - one package per external open standard on nexustandards.com · 3 rows or mentions	Line 53
`registry/dags.yaml`	Process and pipeline graphs rendered by the site's DAG component (nxs-dag) · 2 rows or mentions	Line 279
`registry/consumers.yaml`	Register of implementations of the Nexus Standards · 1 row or mentions	Line 20
`registry/governance.yaml`	Governance, legal structure, national adoption, open boundary and disclaimers of the Nexus Standards · 1 row or mentions	Line 70
`registry/jurisdictions.yaml`	Jurisdiction labels to REGION segment crosswalk (NS-16 §4, NS16-O4) · 1 row or mentions	Line 2
`registry/review-investigations.yaml`	Circulation for technical review and comment, and the technical review areas · 1 row or mentions	Line 58
`registry/risk-standards.source.yaml`	'Nexus Risk Standards: the systemic catalogue' · 1 row or mentions	Line 22
`registry/risk-standards.yaml`	'Nexus Risk Standards: the systemic catalogue' · 1 row or mentions	Line 21

Tests and validators

File	What it holds	Links
`tools/build-risk-standards.mjs`	tool or validator	Line 117
`tools/site-open-standards.mjs`	tool or validator	Line 321
`tools/validate.mjs`	tool or validator	Line 98

Change history

File	What it holds	Links
Commits to the text	every change to the text	·
`CHANGELOG.md`	notable changes, by version	·
`release/manifest.json`	release manifest with file digests	in-toto statement
Releases	tagged releases of the repository	·
`proposals/NXS-STD-PC-000005.json`	Nexus Risk Standards: the systemic catalogue of 124 risk standards across the risk core, the six anchor nexus streams, technology, finance, policy, development, cross-cutting domains, hazards, intelligence, programme and systems	History

Propose a change

File	What it holds	Links
Open a proposal on NS-16	issue form: target, kind, rationale (NS-13)	Template
Issue form: comment	issue form	Template
Issue form: errata	issue form	Template
Issues that mention NS-16	open and closed	·
Pull request template	what a change must carry: target, kind, rationale, validation	·
`CONTRIBUTING.md`	pull requests, sign-off and checks	·
`GOVERNANCE.md`	how registry codes and texts change	·

10Develop and take part

How NS-16 is developed, and how to take part

NS-16 is developed in the open under NS-13 (the stages and gates of NS-13). Working groups draft, councils decide the reserved matters, and anyone may propose a change, comment, submit an implementation report, object or appeal, without membership or fee.

Who decides what: the decision-rights matrix.
The process: stages, gates, review windows and appeals.
Open gateways and calls: how to propose, comment, join a working group or request activation.
Develop a standard: the development track and the lifecycle of each standard.
NS-13 in the canonical repository.

11External standards

Relation to external standards

NS-16 relates to external standards by identifier, clause number and URL (NS14-R1), and directs the reader to the issuing body.

12Research

Recent research and sources

Peer-reviewed articles, preprints, reports and datasets on the subject of this standard, retrieved at the time of reading from open scholarly metadata services (OpenAlex and Crossref) and listed with authors, venue, year, type and access status, with a link to each work. Curated references and related standards are listed first; recent works matched by subject follow and are listed for orientation.

Related standards and frameworks

SoftWare Hash IDentifier (SWHID) Specification V1.2; ISO/IEC 18670:2025
Software Heritage; ISO/IEC JTC 1
Schema.org vocabulary
Schema.org Community Group (W3C)
W3C Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT) - Version 3
W3C Dataset Exchange Working Group
DataCite Metadata Schema 4.5
DataCite Metadata Working Group
Croissant: A Metadata Format for ML-Ready Datasets
MLCommons Croissant Working Group
UN M49 Standard country or area codes for statistical use
United Nations Statistics Division
W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0
W3C DID Working Group
Research Organization Registry (ROR)
ROR (California Digital Library, Crossref, DataCite)

Search terms, derived from the subject of the standard and its rules: application profile; metadata application profile; persistent identifiers; identifier scheme; combined with: metadata; identifier; interoperability; data. With JavaScript enabled, recent works matching these terms are listed from OpenAlex and Crossref.

13Education and training

Risk Academy courses and disciplines

1 course and 1 discipline of Risk Academy (risksacademy.com) that teach the knowledge and methods of NS-16. Each course lists its level, stream and learning hours.

Courses

Course RAT-204 · Technology and digitalTechnology and DataManaging risk data, AI, digital infrastructure and technology risk responsiblyIntermediate · Technical stream · 19 learning hoursTake this course · risksacademy.com

Disciplines

Discipline · Risk scienceRisk information standards and interoperabilityrisksacademy.com

The correspondence between courses, disciplines and the Nexus Standards is maintained with Risk Academy and is subject to its academic review.

14Across the network

Programmes, tracks and courses for this standard

GCRI Canada and Risk Academy work on the subject of NS-16 in distinct roles (research and evidence; education and training). Each entry states why it corresponds and the step it offers; each institution sets its own terms of participation.

Research and evidence

GCRI Canada

Research programmes that produce the observations, models and assessments these records describe.

Nexus RegistryMaintains record provenance.Apply to this programme Digital Public InfrastructureStudies interoperability across public digital systems.Apply to this programme therisk.globalAll programmes of GCRI Canada

Education and training

Risk Academy

Courses and disciplines that teach the knowledge and methods practitioners need to apply these standards.

Technology and DataRAT-204 · Intermediate · 19 learning hoursManaging risk data, AI, digital infrastructure and technology risk responsiblyTake this course All courses and disciplinesListed in the education and training section of this page

15Questions

Questions and answers.

What is the status of NS-16?

NS-16 is proposed. It may be applied voluntarily; adoption follows last call and a decision of the Global Standards Council, and national adoption is decided by each National Standards Council.

What does applying NS-16 establish?

Applying NS-16 is a statement by the implementer, verifiable under NS-11 where machine-readable clauses exist.

How is a change to NS-16 proposed?

By a proposal naming NS-16, the section concerned and the rationale; it passes review and last call under NS-13.

NRNexus Reports gateway · GW-STD

Contribute to Nexus Reports from this page.

Nexus Reports is the Consortium's quarterly publication. What you know about this subject can become evidence, a case or a correction in the next edition, credited to you and published under CC BY 4.0 where it is your own work.

Nexus Standards

Never send personal data, sensitive infrastructure detail or anything you have no right to share. A contribution is reviewed before use; sending it confers no authorship or editorial rights, and sponsorship never buys a finding.

Across the Consortium

The same subject across the Consortium.

Around the Nexus Standards.

Nexus Standards

Take part in the standards.

Governments, regulators, standards bodies, industry, academia and communities are invited to shape the catalogue ahead of its first official release, targeted for 2030: comment on a draft, propose a change, join a working group or host a field exercise.

Propose a change Roadmap to 2030 Adopt and implement

Status and use. The Nexus Standards are proposed standards developed through an open process under NS-13 and published for voluntary use; they do not constitute certification, accreditation or regulatory approval, and adoption remains a decision of the Global Standards Council and, in each country, of its National Standards Council. A UNI (Unique Nexus Identifier) identifies an artifact; it does not certify it. Names of standards bodies and their standards belong to their stewards and are used only to identify the documents; no text of an external standard is reproduced here. Nexus Standards is not affiliated with, endorsed by or certified by any standards body named here.

Licences: CC BY 4.0 for standards text, registries, schemas and data; Apache-2.0 for reference code. External standards are cited by name, number and link under their own licences. Third-party data, libraries and fonts keep their own licences: see Third-party notices.