biotoolsSchema is a formalised XML schema (XSD) which defines a description model for bioinformatics software. It can be used to describe bioinformatics tools - application software with well-defined data processing functions (inputs, outputs and operations). This includes simple tools with one or a few closely related functions, and complex, multimodal tools with many functions. A broad range of software types (see below) are covered including tools available for immediate use as online services, or in a form which which you can download, install, configure and run yourself.
biotoolsSchema defines 50 important scientific, technical and administrative attributes. It concentrates upon the salient common features, with a minimal mandatory core of 3 attributes (name, description and homepage). biotoolsSchema can help to support the cataloguing and discovery of software and is used by the ELIXIR Tools & Data Services Registry.
Comprehensive documentation is available:
- http://biotoolsschema.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ (general docs)
- https://github.com/bio-tools/biotoolsSchema/blob/master/versions/biotools-2.0.0/docs/biotools-2.0.0.html (technical docs; save the HTML file and open it in your browser)
biotoolsSchema provides the foundation for a tools information standard for the desription of tools. It is being adopted by bio.tools and defines the attributes that must be defined for an entry to be labelled as a "minimal", "silver" and "gold" standard quality.
See the list of software types supported by the schema.