> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.dnanexus.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.dnanexus.com/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-classes.md).

# Data Object Classes

The DNAnexus API includes multiple data object classes, each with their own set of API methods.

* [Records](/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-classes/records.md) (`record-xxxx`): for storing only the standard metadata that is common to all data objects
* [Files](/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-classes/files.md) (`file-xxxx`): for storing a flat file (an opaque array of bytes)
* [Databases](/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-classes/databases.md) (`database-xxxx`): for representing Spark databases on the platform
* [DBClusters](/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-classes/dbclusters.md) (`dbcluster-xxxx`): for representing relational databases on the platform

The remaining classes of data objects are both executables and are described in later sections under [Running Analyses](/developer/api/running-analyses.md):

* [Applets](/developer/api/running-analyses/applets-and-entry-points.md) (`applet-xxxx`): an executable that can be used to perform data analysis on other data objects in the cloud
* [Workflows](/developer/api/running-analyses/workflows-and-analyses.md) (`workflow-xxxx`): an executable that stores metadata about other executables that form a workflow or pipeline of data analysis to be performed

All data objects also have the API methods described in the earlier section on [Data Object Metadata](/developer/api/introduction-to-data-object-metadata.md).


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