Conformance Migration
How to map your ISO 19135-1:2015 conformance class to an ISO 19135:2026 register type.
The Fundamental Shift
The 2026 edition replaces the three hierarchical conformance classes with five capability-based register types. This provides more flexibility but requires understanding the new model.
2015: Hierarchical Classes
CoreMinimum requirements
↑ extends
ExtendedFull governance, localization
↑ extends
HierarchicalParent-child registers
2026: Capability-Based Types
Content Register
+ Concept Plane
Concept Register
+ Governance
Governed Content Register
+ Both
Governed Concept Register
+ Advanced
Comprehensive Concept Register
Mapping Table
| 2015 Class | 2026 Type | Capabilities Required | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Basic register functionality | Content Register/req/content-register |
| Low |
| Extended Full governance, proposal management | Governed Content Register/req/governance |
| Medium |
| Hierarchical Principal register or subregister | Governed Concept RegisterorCCR/req/concept-register + /req/governance |
| High |
Decision Guide
Use this decision tree to determine your target register type:
What was your 2015 conformance class?
Core
→ Content Register
Simplest migration path. Focus on status model and terminology updates.
Extended
→ Governed Content Register
Direct equivalent. Add commitments declaration and update governance model.
Hierarchical
Do you need explicit concept management?
Yes
→ Governed Concept Register
Implement concept plane with governance.
No
→ Governed Content Register
Concepts remain implicit.
Capability Requirements
Each register type has specific capability requirements. Here's what you need to implement:
Content Register
- Register item management
- Object identifiers
- Basic versioning
- Status dimensions (validity, publication)
- Functional identifiers
- Change history
Governed Content Register
- All Content Register requirements
- Governance roles
- Proposal process
- Approval process
- Register specification
- Commitments declaration
Concept Register
- All Content Register requirements
- Concept management
- Concept versions
- Concept-status linking
- Basic relations (supersedes)
- Advanced relations
Governed Concept Register
- All Concept Register requirements
- All Governance requirements
- Governed concepts
- Concept proposal process
Comprehensive Concept Register
- All Governed Concept requirements
- Concept inheritance
- Partitive concepts
- Concept domains
- Concept composition
- Definition migration
Required Optional Inherited
Testing Implications
The 2026 edition has a modular abstract test suite. You only need to pass tests for your declared register type.
| Register Type | Test Suites Required |
|---|---|
| Content Register | /conf/content-register |
| Concept Register | /conf/content-register, /conf/concept-register |
| Governed Content Register | /conf/content-register, /conf/governance |
| Governed Concept Register | /conf/content-register, /conf/concept-register, /conf/governance |
| CCR | All above + /conf/advanced-concepts |