- Schemas.pub is a project of the Data - Transfer Initiative, built and hosted to promote interoperability - and consistency especially in personal data transfer. -
+About Schemas.Pub
++ Schemas.pub is a pilot project of the Data + Transfer Initiative, built and hosted to promote interoperability + and consistency of data exchange, especially for personal data transfer. +
-- There are a few data types we mostly know how to exchange over the - Internet. Individual calendar items, tasks and contacts can be exchanged - interoperably as files or email attachments, thanks to standards - written in 1998: iCalendar - (RFC2445) and - VCard (RFC2425). - Since 1998, standards like that are not very common. While XML and - JSON have both made defining structured data formats - much easier, as well as schema languages like +
+ There are some data types we exchange over the Internet quite frequently + and successfully: calendar items, tasks and contacts for example. The + standards for + calendar items + and contacts + were written in 1998, and since then, similar standards are not very + common. + If you take a look at those standards, they use a distinct data format, + which + made them a lot more work to define. +
+Since then, JSON and XML have made basic data formatting much more + interoperable + and schema languages for those formats have emerged. JSON Schema + and other schema languages for JSON can quickly and easily show + what + some data consumer expects in a particular data file, and XML Schema Definition - Language and JSON Schema, - this has not resulted in an easier job defining any given schema as a - standard. - In fact, XML/JSON and Schemas have encouraged the proliferation of - "unilateral" data definitions -- Web APIs withs schemas defined - solely by the host - of that API, Thus, pretty much every service that hosts - common data (like photos in albums on the Web!) uses different schemas. - Sometimes parts of these APIs use schema.org, - which is great and helps a lot with consistency (and accessibility, and - internationalization) of individual fields. -
+ Language does the same for XML. + ++ Why has the emergence of such widespread data format standards and + schema + languages + not made it easier to define a standard? Why do we have no widely + interoperable standard for "an online photo album" + or "a restaurant reservation"? Instead of making it easier to + define standards, XML/JSON and schema languages have encouraged the + proliferation of "unilateral" data definitions -- Web APIs with schemas + defined unilaterally by the designer and host + of that API. Thus, pretty much every service that hosts + common data (like digital photos in albums, or restaurant info and + reservation data!) uses different schemas. + (Sometimes parts of these APIs use schema.org, + which is great and helps a lot with consistency, accessibility, and + internationalization of individual fields.) +
-Is this really a problem? In practice consumers of APIs just +
Is this really a problem? In practice consumers of APIs just translate API data into their own format, sometimes aided by schema - definitions and sometimes not. Yet, we think this could be made + definitions and sometimes not. Yet, we think this could be made somewhat better by allowing organizations to publish schemas that have some real thought behind them, alongside tools for using and applying those schemas, and reputational markers to show which data schemas have implementations, interoperability, open licenses - or standards governance. We welcome your thoughts. -
+ or standards governance. We welcome your thoughts. + -As of launch, schemas.pub is a fraction of the functionality and - registry size that we envision eventually. We're building the site +
The pilot version of schemas.pub is a fraction of the functionality + and registry size that we envision eventually. We're building the site as we learn about what's most useful to publishers of schemas - as well as implementers searching for solid information.
+ as well as implementers searching for solid information. We think + persistent URLs for schemas are difficult but useful and if + your organization could use persistent URLs for stable schemas, + contact us. + -To get started, search for a schema you're interested in and see - how it's defined, some examples, and how it's implemented. If you have - a schema you think should be listed, create an account and add it.
-To get started, search for a schema you're interested in and see + how it's defined, some examples, and how it's implemented. If you have + a schema you think should be listed, create an account and add it. +
+