# Supported resources and file locations

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The linter validates every resource type EventCatalog supports. It finds resources by scanning the same file locations EventCatalog loads from; anything else under a resource folder is reported by [`structure/unrecognised-file`](/docs/development/developer-tools/eventcatalog-linter/reference/rules.md#structureunrecognised-file).

## Resource types and locations[​](#resource-types-and-locations "Direct link to Resource types and locations")

Paths are relative to the catalog root. `<id>` is the resource's folder name and `<version>` a folder under `versioned/`. Both `index.md` and `index.mdx` are accepted.

| Resource type | Locations                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Domain        | `domains/<id>/index.mdx`, `domains/<id>/subdomains/<id>/index.mdx`, plus `versioned/<version>/index.mdx` under each                                                            |
| System        | `systems/**/index.mdx` at any depth, including inside domains. Nested resource folders (`services/`, `containers/`, …) are loaded as their own types                           |
| Service       | `services/<id>/index.mdx`, and inside a domain, subdomain or system: `domains/<d>/services/<id>/`, `domains/<d>/subdomains/<s>/services/<id>/`, `**/systems/**/services/<id>/` |
| Event         | `**/events/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                     |
| Command       | `**/commands/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                   |
| Query         | `**/queries/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                    |
| Channel       | `**/channels/**/index.mdx` (channels may be nested, e.g. `channels/public/orders/`)                                                                                            |
| Flow          | `**/flows/**/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                        |
| Entity        | `**/entities/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                   |
| Agent         | `**/agents/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                     |
| Container     | `**/containers/**/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                   |
| Data product  | `**/data-products/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                              |
| Diagram       | `**/diagrams/**/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                     |
| ADR           | `**/adrs/<id>/index.mdx`                                                                                                                                                       |
| User          | `users/<id>.mdx` — a flat file, not a folder                                                                                                                                   |
| Team          | `teams/<id>.mdx` — a flat file, not a folder                                                                                                                                   |

Every folder-based type also accepts `versioned/<version>/index.mdx` beneath the resource folder for historic versions.

## Federated content[​](#federated-content "Direct link to Federated content")

Resources materialised by [Federation](/docs/federation/overview.md) under `federated/<catalog>/…` are scanned with the same patterns, so owners, services and messages from other catalogs resolve.

## Resource ids[​](#resource-ids "Direct link to Resource ids")

The `id` in the frontmatter is what references resolve against. The folder or file name is used only as a fallback when `id` is missing, so `services/UserService/index.mdx` with `id: user-service` is referenced as `user-service`.

## Files that are not resources[​](#files-that-are-not-resources "Direct link to Files that are not resources")

These markdown files are loaded by EventCatalog through other collections and are deliberately not treated as resources or reported as unrecognised:

| Location                               | What it is                       |
| -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `**/docs/**/*.md(x)`                   | Resource documentation pages     |
| `docs/**/*.md(x)`                      | Catalog-level documentation      |
| `**/pages/*.md(x)`                     | Custom pages                     |
| `**/changelog.md(x)`                   | Resource changelogs              |
| `domains/**/ubiquitous-language.md(x)` | Ubiquitous language dictionaries |

Build artifacts (`dist/`, `node_modules/`, `.astro/`) and the `dependencies/` folder EventCatalog generates are skipped.

## What is validated per resource[​](#what-is-validated-per-resource "Direct link to What is validated per resource")

All resources are checked for frontmatter schema conformance, unknown keys, owners, summary, body content, duplicate ids and file references. Type-specific reference checks:

| Resource              | References checked                                                                                                                                                |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Domain                | `services`, `agents`, `domains` (subdomains), `systems`, `entities`, `data-products`/`dataProducts`, `flows`, `sends`, `receives` (incl. channels in `to`/`from`) |
| System                | `services`, `flows`, `entities`, `containers`, `relationships`                                                                                                    |
| Service, Agent        | `sends`, `receives` (incl. channels), `writesTo`, `readsFrom`, `flows`, `entities` (services only)                                                                |
| Event, Command, Query | `producers`, `consumers`, `channels`, `messageChannels`; orphan detection; `schemaPath` / `schemas[]` files                                                       |
| Channel               | `channels`, `routes`, `messages`                                                                                                                                  |
| Flow                  | each step's `message`, `service`, `agent`, `flow`, `container`, `dataProduct`                                                                                     |
| Entity                | `properties[].references`, `services`, `domains`                                                                                                                  |
| Container             | `services`, `servicesThatWriteToContainer`, `servicesThatReadFromContainer`, `dataProductsThatWriteToContainer`, `dataProductsThatReadFromContainer`              |
| Data product          | `inputs`, `outputs` (any linkable type), `outputs[].contract.path` file                                                                                           |
| ADR                   | `decisionMakers`, typed `appliesTo`, `supersedes`, `supersededBy`, `amends`, `amendedBy`, `related`                                                               |
| User                  | `associatedTeams`, `owned*` lists                                                                                                                                 |
| Team                  | `members`, `owned*` lists                                                                                                                                         |
| All                   | `owners`, `diagrams`, `resourceGroups[].items`                                                                                                                    |