12 posts tagged with "ods-api"

Overview​

Since the move to a relational backend, the most common question from the community has been simple: how does it perform against the ODS API? We ran a shared test suite against both APIs, on both PostgreSQL and SQL Server, using the same dataset and request mix.

The short version: on PostgreSQL, Ed‑Fi API 8.1 comes out ahead on every workload we tested. On SQL Server, DeepPaging and FilteredRead are close to a tie, and Volume (writes) is behind. The reason is narrow and well understood: the change-version stamp triggers, the database triggers Ed‑Fi API 8.1 uses to keep each record's _etag, last-modified timestamp, and change-tracking version current on every write. We can point to exactly how much they cost and the work already underway to reduce it.

What This Means for Implementers​

• PostgreSQL: Ed‑Fi API 8.1 wins on writes, paging, and filtered reads against ODS API v7.3.2, on the same hardware and dataset.
• Where the win comes from: mostly a database CPU advantage on reads. The write path is faster too, but that doesn't mean it's cheaper to run across the board (more on that below).
• SQL Server: near ties on paging and filtered reads; behind on writes, traced to the change-version stamp triggers, a mechanism we've measured precisely and already scoped a fix for (see below).
• Read this as a snapshot, not a guarantee for your deployment. See the caveats in the "How We Tested" section below.

The Ed-Fi Alliance is excited to announce the release of Data Standard v6.1, ODS/API v7.3.2, Ed-Fi OneRoster Service, and MetaEd v4.7. These updates reflect continued collaboration with the Ed-Fi community and focus on advancing interoperability, modernizing the platform, and improving support for priority use cases.

Four significant releases are targeting May, with more following through summer. If you're planning a deployment cycle or tracking what's coming in Ed-Fi infrastructure, here's a practical overview of what to expect and why it matters.

May Releases​

Four significant releases are targeting May: Data Standard 6.1, ODS/API 7.3.2, MetaEd 4.7, and the Ed-Fi OneRoster API. Each one stands on its own, but they're designed to work together.

Overview​

The Ed‑Fi Data Management Service (DMS) is evolving toward a relational backend, shaped by community feedback and real‑world implementation experience. Building on the proven Ed‑Fi ODS/API foundation, DMS modernizes the storage layer to address long‑standing operational challenges—such as wide composite keys and complex joins—through targeted structural changes.

By prioritizing a relational backend, DMS preserves the core strengths of the ODS: predictable schemas, strong referential integrity, and compatibility with relational tooling. The result is a service that feels familiar to teams with ODS experience and lowers the cognitive and migration cost of adoption.

What This Means for Implementers​

If you work directly with the ODS database today, DMS's data store will feel familiar, but with important structural differences:

• You still work with the same Ed‑Fi entities and natural keys
• Joins are simpler and narrower due to surrogate keys
• Person identity is clearer and no longer mediated by ODS-only integers
• Optional document caching can accelerate API reads

The sections below explain why these changes exist and how they affect database design and operations.

This post is written for database administrators, backend developers, data engineers, and solution architects who work with the Ed‑Fi ODS/API at the database level and are evaluating or planning a transition to DMS. Familiarity with the ODS schema and relational database concepts is assumed.

The Ed-Fi Alliance and 1EdTech® are working together to better align standards and simplify rostering across the K–12 EdTech ecosystem.

State, regional, and local education agencies, vendors, and managed service providers (MSPs) are asking for simpler, more consistent ways to roster students and provision learning tools at scale. Today, managing multiple rostering patterns across states and products introduces friction — and slows down onboarding at the moments when students and teachers need systems to “just work.”

The Ed‑Fi Alliance and 1EdTech® have partnered to address that challenge through a coordinated solution that brings OneRoster 1.2 capabilities directly into the Ed‑Fi ODS/API. As part of this effort, we are preparing the Ed-Fi OneRoster API release and subsequent enhancements in ODS/API 7.3.2. Together, these updates streamline deployment and security, making it easier than ever for agencies to provide a OneRoster-compliant endpoint using data they already have.

We are excited to announce the release of Ed-Fi ODS/API v7.3.1 and MetaEd 4.6. ODS/API v7.3.1 adds support for Data Standard 6.0, alongside existing support for versions 5.2 and 4.0. Below is a summary of what’s new.

Overview​

User Story: as an education agency staff member, I want to view the data loaded into the Ed-Fi ODS/API, so that I can compare to my local source of truth and ensure the correct information has been loaded.

Solutions: Use an API client to access the ODS/API, using key/secret credentials issued by the platform host. The ODS/API's Open API files ("swagger.json" metadata) provide documentation of available resources, and there are many robust tools that can read this file to pre-create HTTP requests for you. Bruno is currently my favorite such tool; Postman and Swagger UI are more well-known alternatives.

What about database access as an alternative? And how do these API clients help solve this problem? Read on for more on these topics.

The Ed-Fi Alliance continues to advance its mission of enabling interoperability and scalable data solutions for education agencies. At the recent Ed-Fi Alliance Summit 2025, we shared updates from the Ed-Fi Technology Roadmap, highlighted recent releases, and previewed what’s coming in the next few years.

With the recommendation to use the ODS for single year data collection and the announcement of end of support for the Migration Utility, we committed to delivering lightweight SQL migration scripts for non-breaking changes — and today, we’re delivering on that promise.

We are excited to announce the release of ODS-API Upgrade Scripts v1.0. Specifically, these scripts contain instructions and scripts for upgrading from Ed-Fi ODS/API version 7.1 to 7.2 and Ed-Fi ODS/API version 7.2 to 7.3, designed to streamline the upgrade process for your Ed-Fi ODS/API installations.

The gifts arrive early this week: we are excited to announce three important releases: Data Standard 5.2, ODS/API 7.3, and MetaEd 4.5. In semantic versioning these are minor updates (no breaking changes), but they include major new features. Read on for a quick summary.