DOAP (Description Of A Project) is an
RDF Schema
RDF Schema (Resource Description Framework Schema, variously abbreviated as RDFS, , RDF-S, or RDF/S) is a set of classes with certain properties using the RDF extensible knowledge representation data model, providing basic elements for the descr ...
and
XML
Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language and file format for storing, transmitting, and reconstructing data. It defines a set of rules for encoding electronic document, documents in a format that is both human-readable and Machine-r ...
vocabulary to describe software projects, in particular
free and open source software
Free and open-source software (FOSS) is software available under a Software license, license that grants users the right to use, modify, and distribute the software modified or not to everyone free of charge. FOSS is an inclusive umbrella term ...
.
It was created and initially developed by Edd Wilder-James (Edd Dumbill) to convey semantic information associated with open source software projects.
Adoption
There are currently generators,
validator
A validator is a computer program used to check the Validity (logic), validity or syntactical correctness of a fragment of code or document. The term is commonly used in the context of validating HTML,Tittel, Ed, and Mary C. Burmeister. HTML 4 f ...
s, viewers, and converters to enable more projects to be able to be included in the
semantic web
The Semantic Web, sometimes known as Web 3.0, is an extension of the World Wide Web through standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The goal of the Semantic Web is to make Internet data machine-readable.
To enable the encoding o ...
. In 2007
Freecode listed 43 000 projects as published with DOAP. It was used in the
Python Package Index
The Python Package Index, abbreviated as PyPI () and also known as the Cheese Shop (a reference to the ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' sketch "Cheese Shop sketch, Cheese Shop"), is the official third-party software repository for Python (progra ...
but is no longer supported there.
In 2025, it is normal practice for DOAP files to be included with
GNOME
A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depict ...
source code.
Major properties include:
homepage,
developer,
programming-language,
os.
Examples
The following is an example in RDF/XML:
Example project
javascript
Other properties include
Implements specification,
anonymous root,
platform,
browse,
mailing list,
category,
description,
helper,
tester,
short description,
audience,
screenshots,
translator,
module,
documenter,
wiki,
repository,
name,
repository location,
language,
service endpoint,
created,
download mirror,
vendor,
old homepage,
revision,
download page,
license,
bug database,
maintainer,
blog,
file-release and
release.
References
External links
*
OSS Watch DOAP Briefing Notedoapamatic DOAP generator
{{Semantic Web
Knowledge representation
Semantic Web
Ontology (information science)