Merge pull request #1116 from jjrom/dev

Allow empty catalogs

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+
+- An empty Catalog is now allowed, removed the requirement that it must have a child or item link. ([#1115](https://github.com/radiantearth/stac-spec/issues/1115))
+
 ## [v1.0.0-rc.3] - 2021-04-29
 
 ### Added

catalog-spec/catalog-spec.md

@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ The following types are commonly used as `rel` types in the Link Object of a STA
 | child   | URL to a child STAC entity (Catalog or Collection). |
 | item    | URL to a STAC Item. |
 
-**Note:** A link to at least one `item` or `child` (Catalog or Collection) is **REQUIRED**.
+**Note:** A link to at least one `item` or `child` (Catalog or Collection) is **RECOMMENDED**, but empty catalogs are
+allowed if there is an intent to populate it or its children were removed.
 
 There are additional `rel` types in the [Using Relation Types](../best-practices.md#using-relation-types) best practice, but as 
 they are more typically used in Collections, as Catalogs tend to just be used to structure STAC organization, so tend to just use

catalog-spec/json-schema/catalog.json

@@ -22,22 +22,6 @@
         "type": {
           "title": "Type of STAC entity",
           "const": "Catalog"
-        },
-        "links": {
-          "title": "Links",
-          "type": "array",
-          "contains": {
-            "description": "A link to at least one `item` or `child` is REQUIRED in Catalogs.",
-            "type": "object",
-            "properties": {
-              "rel": {
-                "enum": [
-                  "child",
-                  "item"
-                ]
-              }
-            }
-          }
         }
       }
     }