Adobe XMP Developer Center

Adobe's Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) is a labeling technology that allows you to embed data about a file, known as metadata, into the file itself. More information on how partners and standards are using XMP is available at the XMP website.

XMP Specifications

The following specifications are included in the XMP Toolkit zip package. They are available here for convenient reference.

Part 1, Data and Serialization Models (PDF, 375k) covers the basic metadata representation model that is the foundation of the XMP standard format. The Data Model prescribes how XMP metadata can be organized; it is independent of file format or specific usage. The Serialization Model prescribes how the Data Model is represented in XML, specifically RDF.

Part 2, Standard Schemas (PDF, 470k) , provides detailed property lists and descriptions for standard XMP metadata schemas; these include general-purpose schemas such as Dublin Core, and special-purpose schemas for Adobe applications such as Photoshop. It also provides information on extending existing schemas and creating new schemas.

Part 3, Storage in Files (PDF, 629k) , provides information about how serialized XMP metadata is packaged into XMP Packets and embedded in different file formats. It includes information about how XMP relates to and incorporates other metadata formats, and how to reconcile values that are represented in multiple metadata formats.

XMP Documentation

The Partners Guide to XMP for Dynamic Media provides guidance to developers writing applications that read, write, and modify dynamic media documents, so that those applications can maintain the integrity of the composition and editing history and temporal metadata in composed documents.

• Partners Guide to XMP for Dynamic Media (PDF, 447k)

XMP Tutorial

XMP metadata in Creative Suite 4 Production Premium

Dan Ebberts (Feb. 16, 2009)
Experience first-hand how XMP metadata improves many common editing, asset tracking, animating, and compositing tasks—and even enables new capabilities, such as searching a video according to the spoken words in its soundtrack.

XMP Toolkit SDK

The XMP Toolkit allows you to integrate XMP functionality into your product or solution. It supports Macintosh, Windows, as well as UNIX and comes with samples, documentation, source code and project files. The XMP Toolkit is available under the BSD license. The specification is provided under the XMP Specification Public Patent License (PDF, 24k).

• Download XMP Toolkit 4.4
• XMP Toolkit SDK Overview (PDF, 101k)

XMP FileInfo SDK

Adobe CS4 applications can be modified to display custom metadata UI. The Custom File Info SDK provides documentation and samples on how to create a custom Flex based metadata UI. It also includes instructions on creating an XML file for displaying a simple set of custom properties.

• XMP FileInfo SDK 4.4 (ZIP, 2.54MB)
• XMP FileInfo SDK Overview (PDF, 91k )
• XMP Custom File Info for pre-CS4 products (ZIP, 240KB)