# Canonical Format

> The requirement that a single normalized form be defined for values before they are compared or stored.

Record: `lex:canonical-format`
Kind: constraint
Layer: [Contracts Core](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/contracts-core.md)
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon#lex-canonical-format

## category

- [Schema / Canonical Data / Semantics](https://banes-lab.com/records/lex-category/schema-canonical-data-semantics.md)

## referenced-by

- [Canonicalization](https://banes-lab.com/records/arch/canonicalization.md)