The right platform for every application

There are several metadata catalogues in Switzerland. These differ in function and thus in the areas of application. The platform operators aim to coordinate their development work with each other.

I14Y Interoperability Platform

The I14Y Interoperability Platform publicly describes data offers that are suitable for multiple use. In addition, the platform can be used to create an inventory of one’s own data holdings and data elements in the internal area. All concepts published publicly on the I14Y-IOP can be reused – regardless of whether the actual data is freely accessible. The content can also be retrieved automatically. This makes the platform a central tool for the harmonisation and standardisation of data. The platform is operated on the Confederation’s behalf by the Federal Statistical Office’s Interoperability Office.

Opendata.swiss

The catalogue Opendata.swiss, operated by the Open Government Data Office at the Federal Statistical Office, describes only open government data, i.e. data that can be used by anyone. The Swiss Confederation, as well as many cantons and some cities and communes, are committed to making their data available to the public, as much as possible, as so-called Open Government Data.

Most of the offers published on Opendata.swiss are aggregated data. The original data may often not be published for data protection reasons. The platform therefore proposes distributions of a data set intended for the public in advance.

The Opendata.swiss catalogue can be searched directly from the I14Y-IOP via the metasearch.

LINDAS

Only linked data is available via the Linked Data Service of the Swiss Federal Archives. These are not stored in a conventional database. Instead, the data are given unique identifiers and linked to each other. A special query language, Sparql, is used to search and retrieve the data.

Linked Data is mainly used by IT professionals to build automated data processing operations. Some of the data offers published on LINDAS are also described on the I14Y-IOP. Trials are currently underway to link the two platforms more closely.

Geocat

The platform Geocat.ch, which is operated by the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), describes data sets and electronic interfaces with a geographical reference. Geocat can also be searched directly from the I14Y-IOP via a metasearch.