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Component Metadata

Note: this is an old version of the documentation. For the most recent version, visit www.clarin.eu/cmdi.

Introducing Component Metadata

Metadata for language resources and tools exists in a multitude of formats. Often these descriptions contain specialised information for a specific research community (e.g. headers for text, for multimedia collections).

To overcome this dispersion CLARIN has initiated the Component MetaData Infrastructure (CMDI). It provides a framework to describe and reuse metadata blueprints. Description building blocks ('components', which include field definitions) can be grouped into a ready-made description format (a 'profile'). Both are stored and shared with other users in the Component Registry to promote reuse. Each metadata record is then expressed as an XML file, including a link to the profile on which it is based.

The CMDI approach combines architectural freedom when modeling the metadata with powerful exploration and search possibilities over a broad range of language resources.

To date, there are two supported versions of CLARIN's component metadata framework: CMDI 1.1 and CMDI 1.2. They are not interchangeable, but CMDI 1.1 metadata can easily be converted into CMDI 1.2. More information about the changes in CMDI 1.2, its place in the infrastructure and how it may affect you as a user, metadata creator, modeller, repository owner or software developer can be found on the CMDI 1.2 page. The general information in this page applies to both CMDI 1.1 and CMDI 1.2.

Further Information and Examples

Creating CMDI components and profiles

Browsing, searching and using CMDI metadata

Repository documentation

Quality and validation

Support

Training

Additional informative material:

Are you interested in organizing or following a CMDI training course? Please contact us!