DiscourseGraphs · maparent · Jul 15, 2026
diff --git a/apps/roam/src/utils/convertRoamNodeToFullContent.example.ts b/apps/roam/src/utils/convertRoamNodeToFullContent.example.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,6 @@ export const roamClaimFullMarkdownExample: {
   full: {
     contentType: contentTypes.markdown,
     value: buildFullMarkdown({ title, blocks }),
-    author: { localId: "someone" },
+    authorId: "someone",
   },
 };
diff --git a/apps/roam/src/utils/convertRoamNodeToFullContent.ts b/apps/roam/src/utils/convertRoamNodeToFullContent.ts
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@ export const convertRoamNodeToFullContent = ({
       const blocks = getFullTreeByParentUid(node.source_local_id).children;
       const viewType = getPageViewType(title) || "bullet";
       const crossAppNode: CrossAppNode = {
-        author: { localId: node.author_local_id },
+        authorId: node.author_local_id,
         localId: node.source_local_id,
         createdAt: new Date(node.created || Date.now()),
         modifiedAt: new Date(node.last_modified || Date.now()),
-        nodeType: { localId: node.node_type_id },
+        nodeType: node.node_type_id,
         content: {
           direct: {
             localId: node.source_local_id,

diff --git a/packages/database/src/crossAppContracts.ts b/packages/database/src/crossAppContracts.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,15 @@
 import type { ContentType } from "@repo/content-model";
 import { Enums, type Json } from "./dbTypes";
 
-export type LocalRef = {
-  // This localId is expected to be unique within the current space
-  localId: string;
-};
-
-type DbRef = {
-  // Some operations will refer to objects through their database Id
-  dbId: number;
-};
-
-// Generalized reference
-export type Ref = LocalRef | DbRef;
+// An identifier for objects in the platform. Expected to be unique within the platform.
+export type LocalId = string;
 
 // Common attributes for most types
-export type CrossAppBase = LocalRef & {
+export type CrossAppBase = {
+  localId: LocalId;
   createdAt: Date;
   modifiedAt?: Date;
-  author: Ref;
+  authorId: LocalId;
 };
 
 export type CrossAppSchemaBase = CrossAppBase & {
@@ -48,13 +39,13 @@ export type CrossAppRelationTripleSchema = CrossAppSchemaBase &
         relation?: never;
       }
     | {
-        relation: Ref;
+        relation: LocalId;
         label?: never;
         complement?: never;
       }
   ) & {
-    sourceType: Ref;
-    destinationType: Ref;
+    sourceType: LocalId;
+    destinationType: LocalId;
   };
 
 // An inline vector semantic embedding
@@ -79,7 +70,7 @@ type InlineCrossAppTypedContent = InlineCrossAppContent & {
 
 // A node instance
 export type CrossAppNode = CrossAppBase & {
-  nodeType: Ref;
+  nodeType: LocalId;
   content: {
     direct: InlineCrossAppContent;
     full?: InlineCrossAppTypedContent;

diff --git a/packages/database/src/crossAppNodeContract.example.ts b/packages/database/src/crossAppNodeContract.example.ts
@@ -13,23 +13,21 @@ Multiple studies show that sleep after learning strengthens memory traces.
 
 export const roamOriginNodeExample: CrossAppNode = {
   localId: ROAM_SOURCE_NODE_ID,
-  nodeType: {
-    localId: "rCLM0schema",
-  },
+  nodeType: "rCLM0schema",
   content: {
     direct: {
       value: "Sleep improves memory consolidation",
-      author: { localId: "someone" },
+      authorId: "someone",
     },
     full: {
       contentType: contentTypes.markdown,
       value: roamFullMarkdown,
-      author: { localId: "someone" },
+      authorId: "someone",
     },
   },
   createdAt: new Date("2026-06-12T14:00:00.000Z"),
   modifiedAt: new Date("2026-06-12T15:00:00.000Z"),
-  author: { localId: "maparent" },
+  authorId: "maparent",
 };
 
 // const OBSIDIAN_SOURCE_SPACE_ID = "obsidian:9a8b7c6d5e4f3210";
@@ -48,21 +46,19 @@ Participants with more REM sleep showed better next-day recall.
 
 export const obsidianOriginNodeExample: CrossAppNode = {
   localId: OBSIDIAN_SOURCE_NODE_ID,
-  nodeType: {
-    localId: OBSIDIAN_SOURCE_NODE_TYPE_ID,
-  },
+  nodeType: OBSIDIAN_SOURCE_NODE_TYPE_ID,
   content: {
     direct: {
       value: "EVD - REM sleep and recall",
-      author: { localId: "someone" },
+      authorId: "someone",
     },
     full: {
       contentType: contentTypes.markdown,
       value: obsidianFullMarkdown,
-      author: { localId: "someone" },
+      authorId: "someone",
     },
   },
   createdAt: new Date("2026-06-14T10:30:00.000Z"),
   modifiedAt: new Date("2026-06-14T15:00:00.000Z"),
-  author: { localId: "maparent" },
+  authorId: "maparent",
 };
diff --git a/packages/database/src/lib/crossAppConverters.ts b/packages/database/src/lib/crossAppConverters.ts
@@ -1,43 +1,12 @@
 import {
-  LocalRef,
-  Ref,
   CrossAppEmbedding,
   InlineCrossAppContent,
-  CrossAppBase,
   CrossAppNode,
 } from "../crossAppContracts";
 import { LocalContentDataInput, LocalConceptDataInput } from "../inputTypes";
 import { Enums, CompositeTypes } from "../dbTypes";
 
 type InlineEmbeddingInput = CompositeTypes<"inline_embedding_input">;
-type InlineAbstractBase = Partial<CrossAppBase>;
-
-const decodeLocalRef = <LocalVarName extends string>(
-  ref: LocalRef | InlineAbstractBase | undefined,
-  localVarName: LocalVarName,
-): Record<LocalVarName, string> | Record<string, never> => {
-  if (ref === undefined) return {};
-  if ("localId" in ref) {
-    return {
-      [localVarName]: ref.localId,
-    } as Record<LocalVarName, string>;
-  }
-  return {};
-};
-
-const decodeRef = <DbVarName extends string, LocalVarName extends string>(
-  ref: Ref | undefined,
-  dbVarName: DbVarName,
-  localVarName: LocalVarName,
-):
-  | Record<DbVarName, number>
-  | Record<LocalVarName, string>
-  | Record<string, never> => {
-  if (ref === undefined) return {};
-  if ("dbId" in ref)
-    return { [dbVarName]: ref.dbId } as Record<DbVarName, number>;
-  return decodeLocalRef(ref, localVarName);
-};
 
 const crossAppEmbeddingToDbEmbedding = (
   embedding: CrossAppEmbedding | undefined,
@@ -64,14 +33,14 @@ const inlineCrossAppContentToDbContent = (
 ): LocalContentDataInput | undefined => {
   if (content === undefined) return undefined;
   return filterUndefined<LocalContentDataInput>({
-    ...decodeLocalRef(content, "source_local_id"),
+    source_local_id: content.localId,
     text: content.value,
     scale: content.scale || "document",
     content_type: content.contentType || "text/plain",
     variant,
     created: content.createdAt?.toISOString(),
     last_modified: content.modifiedAt?.toISOString(),
-    ...decodeRef(content.author, "author_id", "author_local_id"),
+    author_local_id: content.authorId,
     embedding_inline: crossAppEmbeddingToDbEmbedding(content.embedding),
   });
 };
@@ -88,7 +57,7 @@ export const crossAppNodeToDbContent = (
       ...content,
       createdAt: content.createdAt || node.createdAt,
       modifiedAt: content.modifiedAt || node.modifiedAt,
-      author: content.author || node.author,
+      authorId: content.authorId || node.authorId,
     },
     variant,
   );
@@ -98,10 +67,10 @@ export const crossAppNodeToDbConcept = (
   node: CrossAppNode,
 ): LocalConceptDataInput => {
   return filterUndefined<LocalConceptDataInput>({
-    ...decodeLocalRef(node, "source_local_id"),
+    source_local_id: node.localId,
     name: node.content.direct.value,
-    ...decodeRef(node.author, "author_id", "author_local_id"),
-    ...decodeRef(node.nodeType, "schema_id", "schema_represented_by_local_id"),
+    author_local_id: node.authorId,
+    schema_represented_by_local_id: node.nodeType,
     contents_inline: filterUndefinedArray([
       crossAppNodeToDbContent(node, "direct"),
       crossAppNodeToDbContent(node, "full"),