openMINDS stands for open Metadata Initiative for Neuroscience Data Structures. Within this initiative various metadata models are developed and integrated. These metadata models can be used as architectural building blocks in graph databases in order to register and describe heterogeneous neuroscience data structures.

Within openMINDS, a metadata schema defines properties needed to describe a certain data context (often reflected in the type or name of the schema) and the rules governing the value entries for these properties (e.g., the expected value type or the expected number of given values). A metadata model is established when multiple metadata schemas are linked. The rules governing the linkage possibility and type is defined within the schemas of a respective metadata model.

Each openMINDS metadata model covers a certain detail level or aspect around the description of neuroscience data structures. For example, the openMINDS_core metadata model is comprised of schemas that can be used to describe the general origin, location and content of neuroscience research products, while the openMINDS_SANDS metadata model contains schemas describing the anatomical locations and relation of neuroscience data. In order to facilitate the maintenance of the existing and the development of new metadata models, it was decided to keep them in different GitHubs governed by respective expert groups. Nonetheless, all openMINDS metadata models are interconnected and accessible as git submodules in a central openMINDS GitHub repository.