diff --git a/src/lib/diff/gen-node.hpp b/src/lib/diff/gen-node.hpp
index ffb589db8..19a89a987 100644
--- a/src/lib/diff/gen-node.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/diff/gen-node.hpp
@@ -122,6 +122,21 @@ namespace diff{
   
   struct GenNode;
   
+  /** Define actual data storage and access types used */
+  template<>
+  struct RecordSetup<GenNode>
+    {
+      using Storage = std::vector<GenNode>;
+      using ElmIter = typename Storage::const_iterator;
+      
+      /** using const reference data access
+       *  relevant for handling large subtrees */
+      using Access  = GenNode const&;
+    };
+  
+  
+  
+  
   using Rec = Record<GenNode>;
   using RecRef = RecordRef<GenNode>;
   using MakeRec = Rec::Mutator;
@@ -382,7 +397,7 @@ namespace diff{
   }
   
   template<>
-  inline GenNode
+  inline GenNode const&
   Rec::extractVal (GenNode const& v)
   {
     return GenNode(v); ///TODO
diff --git a/src/lib/diff/record.hpp b/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
index 8830e8a7a..9a4f2fb65 100644
--- a/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/diff/record.hpp
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ namespace diff{
   
   using std::string;
   
+  template<typename VAL>
+  struct RecordSetup;
   
   
   /**
@@ -129,14 +131,14 @@ namespace diff{
   template<typename VAL>
   class Record
     {
-      using _Vec = std::vector<VAL>;
-      using Attribs = _Vec;
-      using Children = _Vec;
-      using ElmIter = typename _Vec::const_iterator;
+      using Storage  = typename RecordSetup<VAL>::Storage;
+      using ElmIter  = typename RecordSetup<VAL>::ElmIter;
+      using Access   = typename RecordSetup<VAL>::Access;
+      
       
       string type_;
-      Attribs attribs_;
-      Children children_;
+      Storage attribs_;
+      Storage children_;
       
     public:
       Record()
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@ namespace diff{
           return util::contains (children_, val);
         }
       
-      VAL const&
+      Access
       get (string key)  const
         {
           ElmIter found = findKey (key);
@@ -250,10 +252,10 @@ namespace diff{
       
       /* ==== Exposing scope and contents for iteration ====== */
       
-      using iterator  = IterAdapter<typename _Vec::const_iterator, const Record*>;
-      using scopeIter = typename iter_stl::_SeqT<const _Vec>::Range;
+      using iterator  = IterAdapter<ElmIter, const Record*>;
+      using scopeIter = typename iter_stl::_SeqT<const Storage>::Range;
       using keyIter   = TransformIter<scopeIter, string>;
-      using valIter   = TransformIter<scopeIter, VAL>;
+      using valIter   = TransformIter<scopeIter, Access>;
       
       /** default iteration exposes all data within this "object", starting with the attributes */
       iterator  begin ()  const { return iterator(this, attribs_.begin()); }
@@ -308,7 +310,7 @@ namespace diff{
       static VAL    buildTypeAttribute (string const& typeID);
       static string renderAttribute (VAL const& a);
       static string extractKey (VAL const& v);
-      static VAL    extractVal (VAL const& v);
+      static Access extractVal (VAL const& v);
       
       
       ElmIter
@@ -421,7 +423,7 @@ namespace diff{
       
       /* === extension point for building specific value types === */
       /*
-       * the following builder functions are to be specialised
+       * the following builder functions need to be specialised
        * to create a Record holding specific value types,
        * especially for building a tree like structure
        * with GenNode holding a Record<GenNode>
@@ -533,8 +535,24 @@ namespace diff{
   
   
   
+  /* === Extension point: Specialisations for attribute handling === */
   
-  /* === Specialisations to define the handling of attributes === */
+  /**
+   * Type configuration (extension point).
+   * Data storage and access types.
+   */
+  template<>
+  struct RecordSetup<string>
+    {
+      using Storage = std::vector<string>;
+      using ElmIter = typename Storage::const_iterator;
+      using Access  = string;      ///< data access by value copy
+    };
+  
+  
+  
+  
+  /* default handling defined for Record<string> */
   
   template<>
   inline string
diff --git a/src/lib/itertools.hpp b/src/lib/itertools.hpp
index f33d972fd..c9322f4de 100644
--- a/src/lib/itertools.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/itertools.hpp
@@ -457,6 +457,8 @@ namespace lib {
   
   /**
    * Iterator tool treating pulled data by a custom transformation (function)
+   * @param IT source iterator
+   * @param VAL result (output) type
    */
   template<class IT, class VAL>
   class TransformIter