CollectionSpace Release Documentation

Using CollectionSpace

If you are new to CollectionSpace, you can get a good sense of how it works from the demo available on the CollectionSpace website: https://core.collectionspace.org.  The User Manual describes how to use CollectionSpace to manage your collections. This manual also provides a useful overview of CollectionSpace's basic feature set.

Installing CollectionSpace

CollectionSpace is installed on a server and accessed using a web browser. No software needs to be installed on your users' computers.

We recommend installing CollectionSpace on a Linux Ubuntu 18.04 server.  You can find installation instructions here: Installing CollectionSpace.

Release Overview and Notes for v5.1

CollectionSpace System Requirements

In CollectionSpace System Requirements, you can find the system requirements for running a CollectionSpace system, as well as a list of supported web browsers for accessing your system.

Configuring CollectionSpace

If you are an implementer, consultant, or plan to host CollectionSpace, you can adapt CollectionSpace for the specific needs of your museum or client via the documentation in Configuring CollectionSpace.

The documentation in Configuring CollectionSpace focuses on configuration: changing the behavior and the look and feel of the system by making changes via web-based Administration pages and by editing text files: HTML templates, CSS stylesheets, XML- and JSON-based configuration files, and properties files.

To learn about customization - extending the system's functionality by working with the system's Java and JavaScript source code or adding code of your own - please see Developing for CollectionSpace.

Maintaining CollectionSpace

Once you have your deployment up and running, you'll want to take care of it. In Maintaining CollectionSpace, you'll find both operational suggestions and troubleshooting techniques.

Upgrading CollectionSpace

If you have an older version of CollectionSpace and want to upgrade it to a newer version, Upgrading CollectionSpace provides pertinent tips.

Migrating to CollectionSpace

When you want to migrate your existing data into a CollectionSpace system, Migrating to CollectionSpace can help you do this.

Developing for CollectionSpace

If you are building or integrating applications or scripts that talk to CollectionSpace systems, or are a CollectionSpace software developer, integrator, or implementer who wishes to extend the system's capabilities by working with its source code, you can find documentation on these topics in Developing for CollectionSpace. This topic area includes details about CollectionSpace's Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

Hosting CollectionSpace

If you're hosting multiple CollectionSpace systems, whether in-house or as a service provider, Hosting CollectionSpace can help you find resources relevant to this task.

Reference Information

Reference Information provides supporting information and requirements for CollectionSpace, and includes general documents that are referenced from across two or more of the topic areas above.

Documentation Feedback

Many documentation additions and updates are planned. Please feel free to comment on the CollectionSpace project's /wiki/spaces/collectionspace/pages/666276158 if you have suggestions for improving current documentation, or if there is documentation you would like to see in the future.