This page defines the adoption status for public OpenMeta APIs. Python bindings mirror these labels unless a Python wrapper documents a different status.
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stable | Intended for downstream use. Breaking changes require a new contract version, a compatibility path, or a documented migration. |
| Experimental | Public and tested, but the exact shape or semantics may still evolve while the surrounding workflow is being hardened. |
| Internal | Publicly visible only because it is part of a lower-level implementation surface. Do not build new downstream integrations on it unless another doc names it as supported. |
| API surface | Header | Stability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Runtime capability query: metadata_capability(...) |
openmeta/metadata_capabilities.h |
Stable | v1 query contract for read, structured decode, transfer preparation, target edit, and raw-preservation status by format/family. |
Compatibility dumps: dump_metadata_compatibility(...), dump_transfer_compatibility(...) |
openmeta/compatibility_dump.h |
Stable | Stable v1 line-oriented compatibility dump contract. See compatibility_dump.md. |
XMP sync and writeback policy enums: XmpConflictPolicy, existing-carrier precedence enums, XmpWritebackMode, destination carrier modes |
openmeta/xmp_dump.h, openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Stable | Stable bounded writer policy for generated portable XMP. See xmp_sync_policy.md. |
Generic metadata traversal: visit_metadata(...), MetadataSink, ExportOptions, ExportItem |
openmeta/interop_export.h |
Stable | v1 traversal contract. Borrowed names are valid only during MetadataSink::on_item(...). |
ExportNameStyle::Canonical and ExportNameStyle::XmpPortable |
openmeta/interop_export.h |
Stable | Stable naming modes for key-space-aware and portable exports. |
ExportNameStyle::FlatHost |
openmeta/interop_export.h |
Stable | Stable v1 flat host naming contract. See flat_host_mapping.md. |
Vendor RAW-processing summaries: vendor_raw_processing_from_store(...), classify_vendor_raw_processing_field(...) |
openmeta/vendor_raw_processing.h |
Experimental | Conservative grouped source-RAW/source-processing field summaries for decoded Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus, Kodak, Minolta, Sigma, Samsung, Ricoh, Apple, DJI, Google, FLIR, Casio, Sanyo, KyoceraRaw, Reconyx, HP, JVC, GE, Motorola, Nintendo, and Microsoft MakerNotes, including vendor-private, computational, thermal, preview, face-geometry, and stitch/panorama buckets. Intended for audit/UI and rendered-transfer safety decisions, not for writing vendor RAW/source-processing values into rendered targets. |
Transfer safety audit: transfer_safety_audit_from_store(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Preflight summary of source entries and entries filtered or invalidated by TransferSafetyMode, including Sony/Canon/Nikon/Fujifilm/Pentax/Panasonic/Olympus/Kodak/Minolta/Sigma/Samsung/Ricoh/Apple/DJI/Google/FLIR/Casio/Sanyo/KyoceraRaw/Reconyx/HP/JVC/GE/Motorola/Nintendo/Microsoft RAW/source-processing buckets. Intended for diagnostics and host UI before preparing rendered-image transfers. |
Source snapshot type and read helpers: TransferSourceSnapshot, read_transfer_source_snapshot_file(...), read_transfer_source_snapshot_bytes(...), build_transfer_source_snapshot(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Current snapshots are decoded-store-backed and do not preserve raw source packets for passthrough. Const reuse is safe when callers do not mutate the snapshot and do not share returned result objects across writers. |
Fileless preparation: prepare_metadata_for_target_snapshot(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Intended for hosts that already decoded metadata and want to prepare transfer artifacts without reopening the source file. |
Snapshot execution: execute_prepared_transfer_snapshot(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Intended for deferred save/writeback from a reusable decoded source snapshot. |
Bundle execution: execute_prepared_transfer_bundle(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Intended for hosts that already own a prepared bundle and destination bytes. Treat bundles as immutable except through documented patch helpers. |
Adapter-view execution: build_prepared_transfer_adapter_view(...), emit_prepared_transfer_adapter_view(...) |
openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Experimental | Target-neutral operation view for host-owned encoders and writers. Route and dispatch details may still evolve. |
| Generated transfer payload internals, route strings, low-level package chunks, and diagnostic counters not documented by a stable API page | openmeta/metadata_transfer.h |
Internal | These fields may be useful for tests and diagnostics, but they are not a compatibility contract for downstream integrations. |
Use stable APIs for normal application integrations. Use experimental APIs when they match a real workflow and the integration can track OpenMeta releases. Avoid internal surfaces unless you are contributing to OpenMeta itself or writing a test that is intentionally tied to implementation details.