SWORD (protocol)
Encyclopedia
SWORD is an interoperability
standard that allows digital repositories
to accept the deposit of content from multiple sources in different formats (such as XML documents) via a standardized protocol
. In the same way that the HTTP protocol
allows any web browser
to talk to any web server
, so SWORD allows clients
to talk to repository servers
. SWORD is a profile (specialism) of the Atom Publishing Protocol), but restricts itself solely to the scope of depositing resources into scholarly systems.
was created in 2007 by a consortium
of UK institutional repository
experts. The project to develop SWORD was funded by the JISC
and managed by UKOLN
. An overview of the initial development of SWORD is given in "SWORD: Simple Web-service Offering Repository Deposit." The standard grew out of a need for an interoperable
method by which resources could be deposited into repositories. Interoperable standards existed to allow the harvesting of content (e.g. Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
) or for searching (e.g. OpenSearch
) but not for deposit.
Between the original release in 2007, two subsequent projects were undertaken until 2009 to further refine the version 1.0 specification and perform advocacy work. The latest release is 1.3. Further descriptions of the work is available in Lewis et al, "If SWORD is the answer, what is the question? Use of the Simple Web service Offering Repository Deposit protocol."
, client
implementations that can be used to perform SWORD deposits, and code libraries to assist in the creation of new SWORD clients or servers.
Interoperability
Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together . The term is often used in a technical systems engineering sense, or alternatively in a broad sense, taking into account social, political, and organizational factors that impact system to...
standard that allows digital repositories
Repository (publishing)
A repository in publishing, and especially in academic publishing,is a real or virtual facility for the deposit of academic publications, such as academic journal articles....
to accept the deposit of content from multiple sources in different formats (such as XML documents) via a standardized protocol
Communications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...
. In the same way that the HTTP protocol
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a networking protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web....
allows any web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
to talk to any web server
Web server
Web server can refer to either the hardware or the software that helps to deliver content that can be accessed through the Internet....
, so SWORD allows clients
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
to talk to repository servers
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
. SWORD is a profile (specialism) of the Atom Publishing Protocol), but restricts itself solely to the scope of depositing resources into scholarly systems.
History
The first version of the SWORD protocolCommunications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...
was created in 2007 by a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of UK institutional repository
Institutional repository
An Institutional repository is an online locus for collecting, preserving, and disseminating - in digital form - the intellectual output of an institution, particularly a research institution....
experts. The project to develop SWORD was funded by the JISC
Joint Information Systems Committee
JISC is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body whose role is to support post-16 and higher education and research by providing leadership in the use of ICT in learning, teaching, research and administration...
and managed by UKOLN
UKOLN
Formerly known as The United Kingdom Office for Library and Information Networking, UKOLN is a centre of expertise in digital information management, providing advice and services to the library, information, education and cultural heritage communities...
. An overview of the initial development of SWORD is given in "SWORD: Simple Web-service Offering Repository Deposit." The standard grew out of a need for an interoperable
Interoperability
Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together . The term is often used in a technical systems engineering sense, or alternatively in a broad sense, taking into account social, political, and organizational factors that impact system to...
method by which resources could be deposited into repositories. Interoperable standards existed to allow the harvesting of content (e.g. Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
OAI-PMH is a protocol developed by the Open Archives Initiative. It is used to harvest the metadata descriptions of the records in an archive so that services can be built using metadata from many archives...
) or for searching (e.g. OpenSearch
OpenSearch
OpenSearch is a collection of technologies that allow publishing of search results in a format suitable for syndication and aggregation. It is a way for websites and search engines to publish search results in a standard and accessible format....
) but not for deposit.
Between the original release in 2007, two subsequent projects were undertaken until 2009 to further refine the version 1.0 specification and perform advocacy work. The latest release is 1.3. Further descriptions of the work is available in Lewis et al, "If SWORD is the answer, what is the question? Use of the Simple Web service Offering Repository Deposit protocol."
Use cases
Many different use cases exist where it may be desirable to remotely deposit resources into scholarly systems. These include:- Deposit to multiple repositories at once.
- Deposit from a desktop client (rather from within the repository system itself)
- Deposit by third party systems (for example by automated laboratory equipmentLaboratory AutomationLaboratory automation is a multi-disciplinary strategy to research, develop, optimize and capitalize on technologies in the laboratory that enable new and improved processes...
) - Repository to repository deposit
Implementations
Three categories of implementation exist: repository implementations for existing repository serversServer (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
, client
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
implementations that can be used to perform SWORD deposits, and code libraries to assist in the creation of new SWORD clients or servers.
SWORD-compliant Repositories
The following digital repositories are SWORD compliant:- arXivArXivThe arXiv |Chi]], χ) is an archive for electronic preprints of scientific papers in the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, computer science, quantitative biology, statistics, and quantitative finance which can be accessed online. In many fields of mathematics and physics, almost all...
- DSpaceDSpaceDSpace is an open source software package that provides the tools for management of digital assets, and is commonly used as the basis for an institutional repository. It supports a wide variety of data, including books, theses, 3D digital scans of objects, photographs, film, video, research data...
- EPrintsEPrintsEPrints is a free and open source software package for building open access repositories that are compliant with the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting. It shares many of the features commonly seen in Document Management systems, but is primarily used for institutional...
- FedoraFedora (software)Fedora is a modular architecture built on the principle that interoperability and extensibility is best achieved by the integration of data, interfaces, and mechanisms as clearly defined modules...
- Intralibrary
- MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Zentity
SWORD clients
- BibApp
- EasyDeposit
- FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
client - Open Journal SystemsOpen Journal SystemsOpen Journal Systems is an open-source software for the management of peer-reviewer academic journals, created by the Public Knowledge Project, released under the GNU General Public License.-Design:...
- Microsoft WordMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Word is a word processor designed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS , the Apple Macintosh , the AT&T Unix PC , Atari ST , SCO UNIX,...
Article Authoring Add-in for Word
SWORD code libraries
- PHPPHPPHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
SWORD client library - JavaJavaJava is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
SWORD client and server library