diff --git a/apps/config/src/main/java/org/onosproject/config/model/DataNode.java b/apps/config/src/main/java/org/onosproject/config/model/DataNode.java
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5c43304
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/config/src/main/java/org/onosproject/config/model/DataNode.java
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016-present Open Networking Laboratory
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.onosproject.config.model;
+
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+
+/**
+ * Hollow definition of DataNode for ConfigService APIs.
+ */
+public interface DataNode {
+    //will remove this when the corresponding changes in onos-yang-tools become available
+
+    /**
+     * Builder for DataNode.
+     */
+    interface Builder<V> {
+        /**
+         * clones a base Data node obj to a new one.
+         *
+         * @param base base DataNode obj to be cloned
+         * @return a DataNode builder
+         */
+        Builder addBaseObj(DataNode base);
+        /**
+         * Adds the value of the instance node.
+         *
+         * @param key of the node
+         * @return a DataNode builder
+         */
+        Builder addKey(NodeKey key);
+        /**
+         * Adds the value of the instance node.
+         *
+         * @param type of the node
+         * @return a DataNode builder
+         */
+        Builder addType(DataNode.Type type);
+        /**
+         * Adds the value of the leaf node.
+         *
+         * @param value at the node
+         * @return a DataNode builder
+         */
+        Builder addValue(String value);
+
+        /**
+         * Adds children to the children field.
+         *
+         * @param children to be added
+         * @return a DataNode builder
+         */
+        //Builder addChildren(LinkedHashMap<NodeKey, DataNode> children);
+
+        /**
+         * Builds an immutable DataNode entity.
+         *
+         * @return DataNode
+         */
+        DataNode build();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the children if DataNode contains an inner node.
+     *
+     * @return LinkedHashMap of children for an inner node, null for a leaf node
+     */
+    LinkedHashMap<NodeKey, DataNode> children();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the value at the leaf node as a string.
+     *
+     * @return value at the leaf node as a string, null if it is an innernode
+     */
+    String value();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the node schema identifier.
+     *
+     * @return node schema identifier
+     */
+    SchemaIdentifier identifier();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the type of node.
+     *
+     * @return node type
+     */
+    Type type();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the key to identify a branching node.
+     *
+     * @return key to identify a branching node
+     */
+    NodeKey key();
+
+    /**
+     * Represents type of node in data store.
+     */
+    enum Type {
+
+        /**
+         * Single instance node.
+         */
+        SINGLE_INSTANCE_NODE,
+
+        /**
+         * Multi instance node.
+         */
+        MULTI_INSTANCE_NODE,
+
+        /**
+         * Single instance leaf node.
+         */
+        SINGLE_INSTANCE_LEAF_VALUE_NODE,
+
+        /**
+         * Multi instance leaf node.
+         */
+        MULTI_INSTANCE_LEAF_VALUE_NODE
+    }
+}