What's an example of a normative conformed specification?

• A. Availability zone SHOULD be present the column MUST be type string and MAY contain null values
• B. Availability zone is optional
• C. The data may be unsorted
• D. The column is of integer type

Answer: (A)

Normative conformed specifications use prescriptive terms like MUST, SHOULD, and MAY to spell out what must be true, what should be done, and what may be allowed for conformance. The best example here combines all three: it says the presence of the availability zone SHOULD be present, the column MUST be a string, and it MAY contain null values. This clearly communicates different levels of obligation and allowance in a single specification—presence is recommended, the data type is mandatory, and nulls are permitted.

The other options don’t convey this level of prescriptive clarity. Saying the field is optional doesn’t specify data type or nullability, so it’s weaker and less actionable. Saying data may be unsorted describes a data property, not a conformant requirement. Stating the column is of integer type prescribes a type but lacks the normative qualifiers about presence and nullability.