---
title: "Thing Definition Properties"
slug: "thing-definition-properties"
updated: 2024-10-23T14:03:43Z
published: 2024-10-23T14:03:43Z
canonical: "learn.servitly.com/thing-definition-properties"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.servitly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Thing Definition Properties

Each Thing Definition configured in the comes with a set of predefined properties, and in addition you can define custom properties specific for your application domain.

Thing Definition's custom properties can be used, for example, to:

- group/sort/search things;
- manage thing definition specific details, like images or descriptions;
- manage technical information (e.g. sizes/volumes, number of parts/sections, modes).

Property values are saved in the Thing Definition, but they are also inherited by all things.

Thing JSON object

```json
{
	"id": "62e8d456cd97dd690ee55a1b",
	"name": "Oven 1",
	"serialNumber": "OVN-123ab7",
	"thingDefinition": {
		"id": "63712724d9900a490d36ea0e",
		"name": "Oven 1200w",
		"properties": {
			"longDescription": "Oven with double desk resistance of 1200w with steam..."
		}
	},
	"properties": {
		"size": 123
	}
}
```

For more details about how to use and display properties within the pages, refer to the [Referencing Properties](/docs/referencing-properties) article.

## Configuring properties

By entering the *Properties / Thing Definition* page, you can manage the properties available to all Thing Definitions.

The below list, displays the default properties and the additional properties for all Thing Definitions.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6759e9c9-3ce3-49df-965a-7231d2d9a10a/Images/Documentation/image(67).png)

Thing Definition predefined properties:

| **PROPERTY NAME** | **DESCRIPTION** | **REFERENCE NAME** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| *name* | The friendly name of the thing. | name |

These properties cannot be deleted, because mandatory for the correct functioning of the DPS application, but you can modify the Label, and according to the property also some constraints.

## Creating a new thing definition property

To add a new thing definition property, you should:

1. Press the *Add Property* button.
2. Provide the required information.
3. Press the *Save* button.

### Editing thing definition properties

From the property list, if you click on a property, you will enter the property editing page.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6759e9c9-3ce3-49df-965a-7231d2d9a10a/Images/Documentation/image(68).png)

Each property is described by:

### General

- **Label**: the label displayed within the pages (e.g. Foo Bar).
- **Name**: the property simple name used to reference it within templates (e.g. *properties.fooBar*)
- **Description**: the description that is displayed under the properties within the editing pages.
- **Type**: the property value type, one of Boolean, Date, Double, File, Float, Integer, Long, String. For more details about types, refer to the [Property Types](/docs/property-types) article.
- **Unit:** the unit displayed along with the property value (e.g. Kg). It is available only for numeric properties.
- **Default value**: the property default value assigned to a newly created object.
- **Data Type**: in case of numeric values, you can define whether the property values are *DISCRETE* or *CONTINUOUS*, and then you can also define [Dictionary and Thresholds](/docs/dictionary-and-thresholds).
- **Group**: the key used to group properties within editing dialogs.

### Rendering

- **Order**: the order used to sort properties within editing dialogs.
- **Searchable**: the property can be used within the advanced search panel.
- **Selection**: the selection mode (radio, select, switch) for multiple values.
- **Values**: the set of value and label pairs in case of selection.

### Constraints

- **Unique:** it is not possible to have two objects with the same property value. If you try to create a new object or update an existing one, using the value already saved in another object, the backend will report an error.
- **Mandatory:** the property cannot be left blank. When creating a new object or updating an existing object, if the value of the property is missing, the backend reports an error.
- **Limit write permissions depending on the user-type:** you can limit the user-types can write the property value. If a user which is not authorized to the property, try to write it, the backend reports an error. Properties that are not writable by a user type are also not visible on the edit page of that object in the DPS application.
- **Min**: the minimum value used for numeric properties validation.
- **Max**: the maximum value used for numeric properties validation.