Sui Object Data vs Account-Balance Assumptions
Understand object identity, ownership and versions in Sui data models, rather than mapping every record to an EVM-style account balance.
Overview
When translating these concepts into an integration, keep the scope described by the normalized transactions api with the result. The examples in wallet transaction history and smart contract event logs show how the same distinction affects neighbouring data questions.
An object-oriented chain requires explicit object context. An address-only balance table cannot preserve every ownership, version and execution relationship needed to interpret object changes.
Keep object identity and version
Record object identifier, version and ownership form under the network’s rules. Objects can have different ownership and access models. A transaction can consume or update object versions, so the current representation should not overwrite the historical state used by an earlier operation.
Worked example: the object changes hands
An object belongs to A at one version and is transferred to B in a later transaction. A history model needs the transfer context and relevant versions, not just the current owner B. A current-state lookup cannot establish who controlled the object at every earlier point.
Adapt the abstraction deliberately
Keep raw object and transaction evidence alongside any portfolio summary. Test shared objects, deleted objects and data unavailable at a historical version. Do not assume that EVM log indexes or nonce rules map directly to object execution. A cross-chain interface can offer common concepts while retaining network-specific identifiers and lifecycle fields.
A practical acceptance test
Create one object version owned by A, a later version owned by B and a deleted-state case. Verify historical ownership under the selected version without replacing it with the current owner. Include a shared ownership form that does not fit a single-wallet assumption. The common portfolio model must retain the original object identity and lifecycle context.
Questions about the topic
Frequently asked questions
Can an address-only table represent all object history?
No. Object identity, version and ownership context matter.
Should object versions be overwritten by the latest state?
Not when historical reproducibility is required.
Standards & technical documentation
