01
Where it fits—and where it doesn’t
Use these four checks before committing implementation time.
- Use it when
- Portable dataset packages, workflow exchange, preservation, publication, and handoff between repositories and compute environments.
- Do not use it as
- Do not treat RO-Crate as a complete solution on its own. Core conformance is deliberately lightweight; interoperability depends on shared profiles and validation beyond the base crate.
- Best for
- Teams working with Discovery and Omics and Cross-cutting data across Exchange → Learn + reuse.
- Maturity
- ScalingUsable today, with adoption or tooling still scaling; pilot the exact stack you plan to run.
02
See it in the workflow
A standard creates value by changing a handoff, not by existing in a catalog.
- InputWhat starts
Discovery and Omics and Cross-cutting data, metadata, and the local decisions around them
- RO-CrateWhat changes
RO-Crate applies a shared data model / schema across Exchange → Learn + reuse
- OutputWhat becomes possible
A more consistent, reviewable handoff for the next system or team
03
A concrete example
A model-training release packages source datasets, preprocessing workflow, environment, outputs, authors, license, and citations.
Why it matters: Bundles the context an agent needs to inspect and reuse a dataset or workflow, but does not standardize table-level ML semantics.
04
What it fits with
Uses Schema.org and Bioschemas terms; profiles add workflow-run or domain detail; PROV-O can deepen lineage.
- Metadata profileBioschemas
Both support Discovery and Omics and Cross-cutting work and meet around Exchange, Learn + reuse. Compare their roles before treating them as interchangeable.
Explore relationship - Metadata vocabularyDPV
Both support Omics and Cross-cutting work and meet around Exchange, Learn + reuse. Compare their roles before treating them as interchangeable.
Explore relationship - Data model / schemaData Package
Both support Discovery and Cross-cutting work and meet around Exchange, Learn + reuse. Compare their roles before treating them as interchangeable.
Explore relationship - FrameworkFAIR
Both support Cross-cutting work and meet around Exchange, Learn + reuse. Compare their roles before treating them as interchangeable.
Explore relationship
05
Implementation starter
Start with one bounded handoff. Pin, test, and review it before scaling.
Name an accountable owner and the decision RO-Crate must support.
Pin the exact version and companion artifacts: 1.3 Recommendation · 2026-06-22.
Map one representative input to the required data model / schema artifacts.
Test the result against the canonical source and record every exception.
Preserve the source data, mappings, and review evidence before scaling.
06
Limitation to test first—and the tests that catch it
Core conformance is deliberately lightweight; interoperability depends on shared profiles and validation beyond the base crate.
Run one representative end-to-end pilot and record exactly where RO-Crate loses context, needs an extension, or depends on another standard.
A structured or machine-readable result can still be unfit for analysis or AI.
Test the output for missing context, provenance, terminology alignment, time leakage, and the intended downstream decision. Bundles the context an agent needs to inspect and reuse a dataset or workflow, but does not standardize table-level ML semantics.
07
Why we believe this
Checked against the canonical source plus implementation or adoption evidence reported by the steward or its community.
Evidence notation: E1 + E3. The code is shorthand; the plain-language statement above is the claim.
08
Source shelf
Official diagrams, examples, specifications, and explainers. Nothing external loads until you choose to open it.
RO-Crate 1.3 specification
The canonical publisher or steward source used to verify this data model / schema profile.
- Publisher
- Research Object community
- Rights
- Rights remain with the publisher; this knowledge base links to the source rather than copying it.
- Access
- Opens the publisher's source in a new tab; no external media loads on this page.
- Verified
- 2026-07-13