Metadata API

Metadata API#

The LEXIS Metadata API handles the creation of empty datasets and the management of metadata including a way to query them. A dataset creation can look like this:

  • Request for dataset creation is received

  • The metadata service creates an appropriate collection (folder) in the target iRODS zone

  • The supplied metadata is assigned (title, owner, creation time, etc.)

  • The metadata is pushed to the OpenSearch index

  • A unique dataset ID is returned to the user

The concept of keeping metadata in two places enables fast metadata access (OpenSearch) and metadata replication (iRODS).

Source code#

The source code and endpoint documentation for the metadata API is available at: https://opencode.it4i.eu/lexis-platform/data/api-v2.

Swagger documentation can be found at: https://api.lexis.tech/api/ddiapi/v2/meta/docs

Indexing#

The LEXIS DDI stores the metadata of datasets in an OpenSearch cluster, which is easily scalable and allows efficient listing and querying of complicated metadata schemes. It is used to provide fast response times for listing datasets and full text search capabilities of the API.

FAIR concept#

To make the datasets in the LEXIS Platform FAIR, we enforce the users to use the DataCite standard, so the metadata can be easily exported to 3rd party services. The LEXIS Platform allows access to the published datasets through an HTTPS protocol as well.

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