# Instance ### Definition While an [ontology](/guides/glossary/ontology.md) is like a template, an instance is a specific occurrence of an ontology. ### Example During configuration, the ontology 'Person' has been defined. Whenever a person becomes part of a case, this individual will then be an instance of the ontology 'Person'. He or she will have a first and last name and other information that make that someone an individual instance of 'Person'. "Jonathan Griffin" could be one instance of the ontology 'Person', "Maria Lopez" another one. As the case moves through the [process](/guides/glossary/process.md), Atfinity will include all the [information fields](/guides/glossary/information.md), [roles](/guides/glossary/role.md), [documents](/guides/glossary/document.md) and [proofs](/guides/glossary/proof.md) you have defined during the configuration for the ontology 'Person'. At the end of the case, all information about all involved instances will be known. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.atfinity.io/guides/glossary/instance.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.