Composite resource definitions (XRDs) define the structure and rules for the custom API your control plane managed. You write XRDs as declarative files that specify the schema, behavior, and constraints for Composite Resources (XRs).
XRDs define:
- Required fields
- Validation rules
- Configuration options
How XRDs, compositions, and claims work together
XRDs are the foundational blueprints for your resource management. They don’t create or manage resources directly, but they provide the structure and expected inputs for your Compositions.
Compositions are the implementation layer that takes an XRD-defined schema and provisions actual resources based on that definition.
For example, if you create a Composition to provision an S3 bucket, the corresponding XRD ensures that:
- Your required parameters are properly structured
- Validation rules are enforced
- The composition receives necessary inputs from the XRD
Claims are higher-level abstractions that your users can use for self-service resource deployment. Claims have a simplified structure with fewer required fields and less configuration.
Claims allow you to:
- give your users a self-service method for resource management while adhering to your organizational policies
- automatically provision resources with the control plane workflow
- maintain governance and consistency across your managed resources
For more information, review the documentation on Authoring XRDs.
