.. _What is Open Learning XML?:

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What is Open Learning XML?
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.. tags:: educator, concept

OLX (open learning XML) is the XML-based standard used to build courses for the
Open edX Platform.

With OLX, authors can:

* Move content between different Open edX instances, either by using the
  ``.tar.gz`` export of OLX that Studio provides, or by hand-writing OLX and
  compiling it into a ``.tar.gz`` file (see :ref:`Work with the targz File`).
* Create course content outside of Open edX Studio, including by conversion from
  other content formats (note: the `cc2olx converter
  <https://github.com/openedx/cc2olx>`_ can be used to convert Common
  Cartridge exports into OLX).

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XML Resources
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OLX is based on XML. XML, or Extensible Markup Language, is a set of rules
for creating documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-
readable.

To work with OLX, authors should have a strong understanding of XML. This
document presumes authors understand XML and can use tools to create and edit XML
files.

For a primer on XML, see the `Wikipedia XML entry`_ .

.. seealso::

  :ref:`OLX Documentation <OLX TOC>` (reference)

  :ref:`Example of an OLX Course` (reference)

  :ref:`Getting Started with OLX` (quickstart)

  :ref:`OLX Directory Structure` (reference)

  :ref:`The Courseware Structure` (reference)


**Maintenance chart**

+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
| Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
| 2025-11-06   | sarina                        |  Ulmo          | Pass                           |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+