What is metadata?¶
Metadata is structured, typed data attached to an issue beyond its core fields. Where the core fields cover the basics every issue needs — subject, status, assignee, priority — metadata captures the extra facts your team cares about: a git branch, a story-point estimate, a severity level, a publish date. Each piece of metadata is a named key with a typed value, defined by a schema so the same fields stay consistent across every issue that uses them.
Why not just write it in the description?¶
You could type "branch: feature/login, 5 points, severity major" into the description. Metadata is better because it is typed and structured, not free text:
- Consistent. Everyone fills the same fields the same way. No "5 pts" on one issue and "five story points" on the next.
- Filterable. Issue lists can filter by metadata, so you can pull up every issue with
severity = criticalor every issue touching a given branch. Free text in a description can't do that reliably. - Validated. An
enumfield only accepts its allowed choices; anumberfield only accepts numbers. Bad values are caught as you type instead of discovered later.
Field types¶
A schema defines each field with a type, which controls what you can enter and how Specivo validates it.
| Type | What it holds | Example |
|---|---|---|
| String | Free text on a single line | component = Backend |
| Number / integer | A numeric value | story_points = 5 |
| Date | A calendar date | publish_date = 2026-07-01 |
| Enum | One choice from a fixed list | severity = critical |
| Array | A list of values (add or remove items) | branches = [main, feature/login] |
Array fields are how you record several values under one key — multiple git branches, a set of tags, a list of pull requests — without cramming them into a single string.
How metadata appears on an issue¶
When a schema applies to an issue, its fields show up in their own section on the issue detail page, alongside the core fields. You fill them in like any other field: type a string, pick a date, choose an enum value, or add items to an array. Fields you leave blank simply stay empty.
Next steps¶
- Metadata schemas — how fields are grouped and attached to projects and trackers, plus the built-in presets.
- Working with metadata values — setting values, editing array fields, and filtering issue lists by metadata.