ro-crate release

Author: stain

_posts/2025-06-04-ro-crate-1.2-released.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "RO-Crate specification 1.2 released"
+date: 2025-06-04
+categories: ro-crate announcements
+---
+
+[Research Object Crate](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/) specification [RO-Crate version 1.2](https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.2) has been released.
+
+This release (<https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.2>) marks the culmination of a large collaborative effort by the [RO-Crate community](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/community). Key highlights:
+
+* Backwards-compatible, most metadata files can simply upgrade `https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.1/context` to `https://w3id.org/ro/crate/1.2/context` 
+* Formalisation of [profile crate](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/specification/1.2/profiles), a mechanism for specialising the core RO-Crate profile
+* New option of [detached crate](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/specification/1.2/structure#types-of-ro-crate) for RO-Crate metadata files outside of a folder-like structure (e.g. as part of an API)
+* Specified how to [reference other RO-Crates](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/specification/1.2/data-entities#referencing-other-ro-crates), including their profile
+* Specified how to [retrieve an RO-Crate](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/specification/1.2/data-entities#retrieving-an-ro-crate), using [FAIR Signposting](https://signposting.org/FAIR/)
+  - See publication [Practical webby FDOs With RO-Crate and FAIR Signposting](https://doi.org/10.52825/ocp.v5i.1273) 
+* Editorial changes throughout with clarifications, improved language and examples
+
+RO-Crate 1.2 constitutes a stable _long-term release_.
+For a full list of updates, see the [changelog](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/specification/1.2/appendix/changelog.html).
+
+The release was approved by the recently formed [RO-Crate Steering Committee](https://github.com/ResearchObject/governance/blob/main/org-docs/STEERING-COMMITTEE.md), who follow the [Minimal Viable Governance](https://github.com/ResearchObject/governance) model, with a  mission to write, maintain and release versions of the RO-Crate specification and associated website, as well as advocating RO-Crate use.
+
+The RO-Crate community is open for all to [contribute](https://github.com/ResearchObject/ro-crate/issues/1) or to join a [regional drop-in calls a](https://www.researchobject.org/ro-crate/community#meetings) for any questions.
+
+## Citations
+
+* RO-Crate 1.2 release <https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13751027>
+* Packaging research artefacts with RO-Crate <https://doi.org/10.3233/DS-210053>.