OCR-D Specs Overview

Since OCR-D focuses on improving access to mass digitization for historical prints, it is important that its tools are sufficiently uniform in their interfaces and data access patterns to support the widest possible application within GLAM digitization workflows.

This website lays out a set of conventions and interface definitions that must be implemented by the OCR-D module projects (MP) to be usable within the OCR-D ecosphere.

CLI

Software developed by MP must be executable with a command line interface (CLI) on a Linux OS. CLI are straightforward to run and test and can be easily embedded in automated setups. The mechanics of OCR-D conformant CLI tools are laid out in the CLI specs.

METS

To allow processing OCR-related data in a digitization workflow, a uniform data exchange format is necessary. OCR-D decided to use the widely used METS format and has developed conventions on how MP must access and manipulate METS data in order to be interoperable.

ocrd-tool.json

Interoperability needs metadata, both descriptive and technical. OCR-D has developed a format that allows MP to express general information about themselves and detailed information about the tools they develop.

REST

OCR-D will offer RESTful access to the MP CLI based on HTTP, using the Open API / Swagger set of tools.

Dockerfile

Docker is a widely used system for containerization of software. MPs are encouraged to package the tools they develop as a docker image by providing a Dockerfile. OCR-D offers recommendations on how the Dockerfile should be structured.