An associative database's items and links reside in files called chapters. The chapters that comprise one database may be located anywhere on the network or the Internet that is accessible to the database server.   Each chapter may contain any combination of schema and data, although the preferred organisation is to segregate schema and data into separate chapters.

A user's view of the database is determined by their profile, which contains the list of chapters that they currently see.

Developers may place elements of the schema into any chapter that they choose, and that piece of the schema will be operative or inoperative depending on whether the chapter containing it is included or excluded from the user's profile.

 

  

Individual items and links exist in peer networks in individual chapters. When chapters are collected together in a profile, the items and links in each chapter simply form a wider peer network, and chapters become transparent.

When links are created between items in different chapters, if either the source or target of the link is not visible in the current profile, neither is the link itself.

 

 

  
   
Here, two groups of users, A and B, are using the same core application. Each has amended the application to suit their own purpose, and each is keeping its data entirely separate.   This is an ideal approach for package vendors, and overcomes the difficulties of preserving a customer's amendments when a new release of the core application is developed.
     
           
 
 
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