# Operation Definition

A formal computable definition of an operation (on the RESTful interface) or a named query (using the search interaction).

## Elements

| Name | Required | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| url |  | uri | Canonical identifier for this operation definition, represented as a URI (globally unique). An absolute URI that is used to identify this operation definition when it is referenced in a specification, model, or design. This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which an authoritative instance of this operation definition is (or will be) published. This URL can be a urn:uuid: or urn:oid: but real http: addresses are preferred. Multiple instances may share the same URL if they have a distinct version. The determination of when to create a new version of a resource is up to the author. |
| version |  | string | Business version of the operation definition. The identifier that is used to identify this version of the operation definition when it is referenced in a specification, model, or design. |
| name | ✓ | string | Name for this operation definition (computer friendly). A natural language name identifying the operation definition usable as an identifier for machine processing applications such as code generation. |
| title |  | string | Name for this operation definition (human friendly). A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the operation definition. |
| status | ✓ | code | draft \| active \| retired \| unknown. The status of this operation definition. |
| kind | ✓ | code | operation \| query. Whether this is an operation or a named query. |
| experimental |  | boolean | For testing purposes, not real usage. A Boolean value to indicate that this operation definition is authored for testing purposes. |
| date |  | dateTime | Date last changed. The date when the operation definition was published. |
| publisher |  | string | Name of the publisher (organization or individual). |
| contact |  | [ContactDetail](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/contactdetail/index.html)\[\] | Contact details for the publisher. |
| description |  | markdown | Natural language description of the operation definition. |
| useContext |  | [UsageContext](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/usagecontext/index.html)\[\] | The context that the content is intended to support. |
| jurisdiction |  | [CodeableConcept](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/codeableconcept/index.html)\[\] | Intended jurisdiction for the operation definition (if applicable). |
| purpose |  | markdown | Why this operation definition is defined. |
| affectsState |  | boolean | Whether content is changed by the operation. |
| code | ✓ | code | Name used to invoke the operation. |
| comment |  | markdown | Additional information about use. |
| base |  | canonical | Marks this as a profile of the base. |
| resource |  | code\[\] | Types this operation applies to. |
| system | ✓ | boolean | Invoke at the system level? |
| type | ✓ | boolean | Invoke at the type level? |
| instance | ✓ | boolean | Invoke on an instance? |
| inputProfile |  | canonical | Validation information for input parameters. |
| outputProfile |  | canonical | Validation information for output parameters. |
| parameter |  | OperationDefinitionParameter\[\] | Parameters for the operation/query. |
| id |  | string | Unique id for inter-element referencing. |
| extension |  | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)\[\] | Additional content defined by implementations. |
| modifierExtension |  | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)\[\] | Extensions that cannot be ignored. |

## Search Parameters

| Name | Type | Description | Expression |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| context | token | A use context assigned to the operation definition | OperationDefinition.useContext.value.ofType(CodeableConcept) |
| date | date | The operation definition publication date | OperationDefinition.date |
| description | string | The description of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.description |
| jurisdiction | token | Intended jurisdiction for the operation definition | OperationDefinition.jurisdiction |
| name | string | Computationally friendly name of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.name |
| publisher | string | Name of the publisher of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.publisher |
| status | token | The current status of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.status |
| title | string | The human-friendly name of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.title |
| url | uri | The uri that identifies the operation definition | OperationDefinition.url |
| version | token | The business version of the operation definition | OperationDefinition.version |

## Inherited Elements

| Name | Required | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| id |  | string | Logical id of this artifact. |
| meta |  | [Meta](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/meta/index.html) | Metadata about the resource. |
| implicitRules |  | uri | A set of rules under which this content was created. |
| language |  | code | Language of the resource content. |
| text |  | [Narrative](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/narrative/index.html) | Text summary of the resource for human interpretation. |
| contained |  | Resource\[\] | Contained, inline Resources. |
| extension |  | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)\[\] | Additional content defined by implementations. |
| modifierExtension |  | [Extension](/content/docs/api/fhir/datatypes/extension/index.html)\[\] | Extensions that cannot be ignored. |

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