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Ed-Fi Technology Suite Overview

The Ed-Fi Alliance publishes data exchange standards for K-12 education data and builds open-source software that implements them. Today the Ed-Fi Technology Suite is made up of:

  • Standards: the Ed-Fi Data Standard and the specifications that express it.
  • Two API platforms that implement the standards: the Ed-Fi ODS/API (versions through 7.x) and its long-term replacement, Ed-Fi API v8.
  • Tools for administering those platforms, moving data between them, and extending the Data Standard.

For the versions that are supported right now, see Currently Supported.

Standards and implementations are separate​

The standards define the data and how it is exchanged; the platforms are software that implements them. The Ed-Fi ODS/API and Ed-Fi API v8 are the Ed-Fi Alliance's implementations, and any party can build a compatible one by following the API specifications and the Ed-Fi API Guidelines. See Ed-Fi Data Standard vs. UDM vs. API Specifications vs. Ed-Fi API for how the standards and the software that implements them relate, and Ed-Fi Certification for how vendor products show that they exchange data correctly.

What technologies make up the Ed-Fi Technology Suite?​

API platforms​

  • Ed-Fi API v8, the next-generation platform and the long-term replacement for the Ed-Fi ODS/API. It is made up of the Ed-Fi API and the Configuration Service. It implements existing Data Standard versions; it is not a new Data Standard version.
  • Ed-Fi ODS/API (versions through 7.x), the established platform.

See Ed-Fi API Platforms for how they compare and the transition timeline.

Administration​

  • Ed-Fi ODS Admin API is a REST interface for managing client credentials ("key and secret") and security configuration on the Ed-Fi ODS/API. In Ed-Fi API v8, the Configuration Service takes this role.
  • Ed-Fi Admin App (v4) is a web application for organizations that manage multiple instances of the Ed-Fi ODS/API or Ed-Fi API v8 across tenants and environments.

Data movement and other services​

  • Ed-Fi API Publisher moves data and changes between Ed-Fi API instances using the same Data Standard version. The source and target can each be an Ed-Fi ODS/API or Ed-Fi API v8.
  • Ed-Fi OneRoster® service serves a 1EdTech® OneRoster v1.2 Rostering API from data in an Ed-Fi ODS.

Data Standard tooling​

  • MetaEd uses a domain-specific language to generate Data Standard artifacts. The MetaEd IDE lets community members build Ed-Fi Data Standard extensions.

Which platform should a new implementation use?​

The Ed-Fi Alliance recommends Ed-Fi API v8 for new implementations. For when the Ed-Fi ODS/API 7.3 still fits, and what client application developers should test, see Should a new Ed-Fi implementation use ODS/API 7.x or Ed-Fi API v8?

What is no longer part of the Technology Suite?​

Some products the Ed-Fi Alliance once maintained no longer carry an Alliance support commitment and belong to Ed-Fi Community Tools. Data Import and the legacy Ed-Fi ODS Admin App 3.x have already moved there. The Ed-Fi ODS/API Docker deployments and the Analytics Middle Tier are still moving. See Out of Support for the full list and the notice for each.