Taleem Schema

The Taleem ecosystem is built around one simple idea:

Everything follows a single, strict, shared schema.

There is no separate format for authors, players, demos, or tools. There is no “almost compatible” mode. There is no interpretation layer.

If something is a Taleem deck, it follows the same schema everywhere.

This schema is called deck-v1.

One Schema, One Truth

The Taleem schema defines what a presentation is.

It does not describe how a slide looks on screen. It does not describe animations, themes, or UI behavior. It does not describe playback controls or application logic.

It only describes structure.

If a JSON object conforms to the schema, it is a valid Taleem deck. If it does not, it is rejected.

There is no best-effort rendering.

A Minimal Working Example

Below is a complete, valid deck-v1 example. It follows the schema exactly and will validate and render correctly in any Taleem-compatible renderer.

{
  "version": "deck-v1",
  "name": "Minimal Example Deck",
  "background": {
    "backgroundColor": "#111111",
    "backgroundImage": null,
    "backgroundImageOpacity": 0.25
  },
  "deck": [
    {
      "type": "titleAndPara",
      "start": 0,
      "end": 5,
      "data": [
        {
          "name": "title",
          "content": "What Is Taleem?",
          "showAt": 0
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "bulletList",
      "start": 5,
      "end": 10,
      "data": [
        {
          "name": "bullet",
          "content": "Structure-first presentations",
          "showAt": 5
        },
        {
          "name": "bullet",
          "content": "One schema everywhere",
          "showAt": 6
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This example demonstrates:

• a valid deck-v1 header
• optional background data
• explicit slide types
• time-bounded slides
• pure, declarative content

Any renderer that supports deck-v1 must produce the same logical output for this input.

Where the Schema Lives

The Taleem schema is not defined in prose documentation.

It is defined in code, inside the taleem-player package.

This documentation explains the schema, but the source of truth is the implementation.

Permanent References

• Deck schema (deck-v1, enforced via code)
  https://github.com/bilza2023/taleem-player/tree/master/src/spec
• Canonical slide renderers (v1)
  https://github.com/bilza2023/taleem-player/tree/master/src/slides

Any system claiming compatibility with Taleem must validate against these definitions.

Finite Slide Types

The schema defines a finite, closed set of slide types.

deck-v1 defines 16 canonical slide types.

Each slide:

• declares its type explicitly
• accepts only a fixed set of fields
• rejects unknown or malformed data

Slide types do not evolve silently. Adding a new slide type is a deliberate schema change.

Existing decks are never reinterpreted.

Validation Is Mandatory

Every Taleem deck is validated.

Validation is not optional. Validation is not advisory.

A deck is either:

• valid → rendered
• invalid → rejected

This keeps the system deterministic and predictable.

The Golden Deck

The Taleem project provides a canonical reference deck:

https://github.com/bilza2023/taleem-player/blob/master/src/spec/goldenDeckV1.js

This deck is not a demo.

It is a reference implementation that:

• conforms fully to deck-v1
• exercises all defined slide types
• serves as a living proof of the schema

If a renderer can render the golden deck correctly, it supports the schema.

Why This Matters

Because there is one schema:

• content can be generated programmatically
• the same deck can be rendered in different environments
• renderers can evolve without rewriting content
• old lessons never change meaning

The schema is the contract.

Applications may change. Renderers may change. Styles may change.

The schema does not.

Summary

Taleem is not a collection of tools.

It is a schema-first system.

Everything else exists to serve that structure.