Making Arches records easier to read: a practical look at rule-based Display Descriptors

Rob Oates, Historic England

This talk is a hands-on walkthrough of the display descriptor functionality in Arches HE Descriptors. I’ll show how it takes complex resource data and turns it into readable labels using YAML rules, plus how config is picked at runtime (API override, graph config in the database). I’ll also cover the admin test flow so teams can try changes against real records before saving.

I want to present this because display descriptors have a big day-to-day impact: they’re what people actually see when they browse and manage records. When descriptors are clear and consistent, the system is easier to use and trust. When they’re not, even good data can feel messy.

This session is aimed at developers, technical implementers, and data managers working with Arches-based systems, plus anyone who helps shape how records are presented to users.

For the community, this approach can reduce bespoke custom code, make descriptor logic easier to maintain, and give teams a safer way to roll out changes. It also opens the door to sharing reusable patterns and tools across projects.