Derived object

Derived Objects are files (intermediate or not) that are not directly maintained, but get created. The most typical context is this of compilation, linking, and packaging of source files.

Depending on the SCM system, they may be completely ignored (1), managed as second class citizens (2), or potentially considered the archetype of configuration items (3).

The second case assumes a reproducible process to produce them. The third case implies that this process is itself being managed, in practice: audited. Currently, only builds are typically audited, but nothing prevents in principle to extend this to more general patterns of production. Derived objects may then have a real identity. Different instances of the same derived object may be discriminated generically from each other of the basis of their dependency tree.