---
id: capability.graph.nbgm-spec
name: Network-Based Graph Model (NBGM) Specification
summary: Generic system and versioned protocol specification for exploring dependency structures as network-based
  graph models (NBGM), unifying entity/relationship inspection and reasoning across arbitrary domains.
owner: vantage-point
status: draft
domain: infotech
tags:
- graph
- nbgm
- specification
maturity:
  discovery:
    current: D2
    target: D4
    confidence: medium
    rationale: SCOPE.md documents the core idea clearly (unifying entity/relationship inspection across
      domains); note README.md is a stale repo-seed template leftover — SCOPE.md is authoritative. A substantial
      draft protocol spec (nbgm-spec-v0.1.md, per docs/) exists.
  availability:
    current: A0
    target: A2
    confidence: medium
    rationale: Specification-stage only; no implementation code found in this sweep (docs/ and registry/
      and workplans/ only, no src/ or package manifest).
external_evidence:
  completeness:
    level: C1
    confidence: low
    basis: scope_vs_intent_and_consumer_expectations
    satisfied_expectations:
    - a versioned protocol spec (docs/nbgm-spec-v0.1.md) exists
    broken_expectations: []
    out_of_scope_expectations: []
  reliability:
    level: R0
    confidence: low
    basis: consumer_quality_signals
    known_reliability_risks:
    - no implementation yet; availability is honestly A0 pending an actual reference implementation
discovery:
  intent: Define a generic, versioned protocol for exploring dependency structures as network-based graph
    models, applicable across arbitrary domains, not tied to one specific graph engine.
  includes:
  - NBGM protocol specification (versioned)
  - entity/relationship inspection and reasoning model
  excludes:
  - a reference implementation (not yet built)
  assumptions: []
  use_cases: []
  research_memos: []
availability:
  current_level: A0
  target_level: A2
  current_artifacts:
  - docs/nbgm-spec-v0.1.md
  target_artifacts: []
  consumption_modes:
  - informational (specification only)
relations:
  depends_on: []
  supports: []
  related_to: []
evidence:
  documentation:
  - SCOPE.md
  - docs/nbgm-spec-v0.1.md
  tests: []
  consumer_feedback: []
  bug_reports: []
  incidents: []
consumer_guidance:
  recommended_for:
  - repos designing a graph-based dependency/entity model wanting to align with a shared, versioned protocol
    before building their own
  not_recommended_for:
  - needs for a working graph implementation today (specification only, no code yet)
  known_limitations:
  - specification-stage only; no reference implementation exists yet
promotion_history: []
---

# Network-Based Graph Model (NBGM) Specification

## Overview

`vantage-point` defines the Network-Based Graph Model (NBGM): a generic, versioned protocol for exploring dependency structures as graph models, unifying entity/relationship inspection and reasoning across arbitrary domains. It is specification-stage only — a real, versioned spec document exists, but no reference implementation has been built yet.

## Assessment notes

### Discovery

SCOPE.md documents the core idea clearly (unifying entity/relationship inspection across domains); note README.md is a stale repo-seed template leftover — SCOPE.md is authoritative. A substantial draft protocol spec (nbgm-spec-v0.1.md, per docs/) exists.

### Availability

Specification-stage only; no implementation code found in this sweep (docs/ and registry/ and workplans/ only, no src/ or package manifest).

### Completeness

First-pass honest assessment from the REUSE-WP-0017 coverage campaign
(reuse-surface). No external consumer feedback exists yet; levels reflect
scope-vs-intent documentation quality, not internal code quality.

### Reliability

No production consumer telemetry exists yet; reliability level is
intentionally conservative pending REUSE-WP-0019 reuse-telemetry evidence.

## Promotion checklist

- [x] ID follows `capability.<domain>.<name>` pattern
- [x] Maturity enums match `specs/CapabilityMaturityStandard.md`
- [x] `external_evidence` is populated separately from `maturity`
- [ ] Relations reference valid capability IDs (none yet)
- [x] Index entry added in `registry/indexes/capabilities.yaml`