Adobe XMP Developer Center

Adobe's Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) is a labeling technology that allows you to embed data about a file, known as metadata, into the file itself. More information on how partners and standards are using XMP is available at the XMP website.

Part 1, Data model, Serialization, and Core Properties (PDF, 499K) [April, 2012] covers the basic metadata representation model that is the foundation of the XMP standard format. The Data Model prescribes how XMP metadata can be organized; it is independent of file format or specific usage. The Serialization Model prescribes how the Data Model is represented in XML, specifically RDF.

Part 2, Additional Properties (PDF, 374K) [Aug, 2016] provides detailed property lists and descriptions for standard XMP metadata schemas; these include general-purpose schemas such as Dublin Core, and special-purpose schemas for Adobe applications such as Photoshop. It also provides information on extending existing schemas and creating new schemas.

Part 3, Storage in Files (PDF, 804K) [Aug, 2016] provides information about how serialized XMP metadata is packaged into XMP Packets and embedded in different file formats. It includes information about how XMP relates to and incorporates other metadata formats, and how to reconcile values that are represented in multiple metadata formats.

The XMP Toolkit allows you to integrate XMP functionality into your product or solution. It supports Macintosh, Windows, as well as UNIX and comes with samples, documentation, source code and scripts to generate project files. The XMP Toolkit is available under the BSD license. The specification is provided under the XMP Specification Public Patent License (PDF, 24 K).

The XMP Toolkit SDK contains two libraries, XMPCore and XMPFiles. XMPCore and XMPFiles are provided as C++ implementations. 

It also includes a plug-in SDK that allows you to create an XMPFiles Plug-in that handles metadata for additional file formats, or replaces built-in format handlers with custom ones.

As part of enabling custom metadata for digital video production and distribution workflows via XMP, the XMP Media Production SDK is an extension layer over XMP Toolkit SDK. This extended layer allows convenient editing and storing of static, temporal and other custom metadata. The XMP Media Production SDK provides an extension mechanism for storing vendor specific metadata and other custom metadata. This process of adding metadata can be carried along with the composition throughout the video production and editing workflows.

The XMP Media Production SDK is available under the Apache License, Version 2.0. You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.

Customers who need more flexibility and functionality for custom metadata UI should use the Adobe Extension SDK that allows to write HTML5 based panels for Creative Cloud applications. The following link is an example of an extension panel that can interact with XMP and is meant as a starting point for developers.

Previous SDKs:
These versions of the SDK can be used with Creative Suite and Creative Cloud applications older than the 2014 version. For CC applications (before 2014) all custom FileInfo panels should always be installed into the user-specific location (as mentioned in the documentation). The shared location isn't used anymore. 

Flex — Information on Flex technologies, including Flex Builder for creating custom file info panels
XMP Forums — A community forum to share your experiences, discuss problems and report bugs.
Bridge CS6 SDK — Information on extending and customizing Bridge