What is xAPI and What is an LRS?
The Experience API (xAPI) is a technology standard that allows systems to store and retrieve data from a wide range of learning experiences. The specification is comprised of two main components:
The data model - The xAPI data model is a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) representation of learning events. Although an oversimplification, the xAPI is often thought of as a sentence including an actor, verb, and object. For example, a simple xAPI statement may include a representation John Doe (actor) completed (verb) the Computer Science 101 course (object).
The transport mechanism - The xAPI data is stored and retrieved via a RESTful web service that allows authorized applications to interact with an LRS.
Note: Some folks call xAPI, “TinCan API”. They are not technically the same thing, but practically, if you’re hearing “TinCan API”, there is a good chance they are actually referring to xAPI.
A Learning Record Store (LRS), at minimum, is the server-side implementation of the xAPI. This means that content and other systems (like LMSs) can store and retrieve xAPI data from the LRS using that standardized xAPI data model and transport mechanism. LRSs often include other services beyond an implementation of xAPI.
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