imsmanifestxml

imsmanifest.xml is the manifest file used by the IMS Content Packaging specification to describe the structure, resources, and metadata of an e-learning package. It is an XML document placed at the root of a package, typically distributed as a ZIP file that also contains the actual content files (HTML, multimedia, PDFs, etc.). The manifest enables learning management systems and other delivery platforms to interpret and present the package consistently across environments.

The top-level element is manifest, which may include attributes such as identifier and version, and may contain optional metadata. The content is organized into two primary sections: organizations and resources. The organizations element contains one or more organization elements, forming a hierarchical course structure. Each organization includes item elements that represent nodes in the navigation tree; items can nest other items, creating a tree. An item can reference a resource via the identifierref attribute, linking the navigation node to a particular resource.

The resources element defines the actual content assets available in the package. Each resource has an identifier, a type (for example, webcontent, SCO, or other), and an href that points to the default file to launch for that resource. Inside a resource, one or more file elements enumerate the content files included in the resource, using href attributes to locate them. A resource may also declare dependencies on other resources, expressing prerequisites for proper loading.

imsmanifest.xml plays a central role in interoperability, enabling content packaging used by SCORM and other IMS standards, and it can include metadata sections to describe learning objects with standardized information. Validation against IMS CP schemas ensures structural correctness and compatibility with compliant systems.