which is best Specification or Document reference?

Hi All,

Two flow services has the same input & output signatures. we can use either specification or Document reference. Can you please tell which one is good? and why?

Thanks
Devi

Hi Devi,
You can use any of them but if you know your input and output signature will remain same then as per best practice you can use specification.
Difference in Specification and Document reference is that, If you use specification then you can modify service signature directly but in case of document reference you can modify your service signature directly.

Thanks,
Vikas

There is a typo in Vikas statement…

If you use Specification, you cannot modify input/output tab of the two services…

If you use Document Reference, you can add/remove additional input/output parameters.

For eg., later if one service requires an input that is mandatory for execution, you cannot modify specification as the other flow service will get affected during execution…

HTH
Senthil

Thanks for the correction Senthil. :slight_smile:

Regards,
Vikas

They are for different concepts.

The decision to define a document type is independent of the decision to define a specification.

A document type is useful:

  • Provides a common definition that can be referenced in multiple locations.
  • Validate that documents conform to the type.

A specification is useful:

  • To define the inputs and outputs that a service will support.
  • A specification might reference a document type, but it should not be used in lieu of a document type.

One should not focus on choosing one or the other. One should choose each based on the specific needs.

Hi Vikas, Senthil and Reamon,

Thank you for your valuable reply. Still I would like to know one more point. For my requirement I can use either specification or Doc reference, which one will give the “better performance”?

Thanks
Devi

Neither is a performance concern.

IME, service specifications are rarely used. As a result, they tend to confuse people when they are used.