Definitions
Introduction
This sections describes some terms in context of testing with the OGC TEAM Engine.
STATUS of this section: Incomplete
Conformance Classes
A conformance class is essentially a container for a coherent set of requirements that address some functional capability or area of concern. A conformance level is a kind of conformance class in the which the requirements of a higher level contain all the requirements of the lower levels (see Conformance classes).
Figure 1. Conformance classes
OGC application profile (Profile)
In ISO 19106, a profile is defined as a
set of one or more base standards or subsets of base standards, and, where applicable, the identification of chosen clauses, classes, options and parameters of those base standards, that are necessary for accomplishing a particular function.
— ISO 19106:2004 cl. 4.5
In practice, a profile imposes additional constraints on an implementation such as mandating support for an optional capability. Or it may define extensions where permitted by the base standards. However, a profile can never contradict any base standard, such that conformance to a profile implies conformance to all of the base standards from which it is derived.
Various user communities have developed profiles based on OGC or ISO standards. For example:
The DGIWG WMS profile is based on the OGC WMS 1.3 specification, and the NSG WMS profile is in turn based on the DGIWG profile (WMS profile dependencies).
Figure 2. WMS profile dependencies