We’re thrilled to share that Open Data Editor (ODE), developed by the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN), has been officially recognised as a digital public good by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA).
This recognition affirms ODE’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and confirms that it meets the highest standards of openness, accessibility, and public benefit.
ODE now joins CKAN, OKFN’s data management system powering hundreds of open data portals worldwide, which was recognised as a DPG in 2023. Together, ODE and CKAN demonstrate OKFN’s long-term commitment to an open, sustainable, and people-centred data ecosystem.
↪ Check out ODE’s entry in the DPG Registry
What is Open Data Editor?
Open Data Editor is an open-source, low-tech application created to detect errors in tables and enhance data literacy across non-technical communities. Whether you’re managing a spreadsheet, cleaning a CSV file, or preparing data for analysis, ODE provides an intuitive interface that helps you detect errors in tables and improve overall data quality – no coding or technical expertise required.
Designed to democratise data work, ODE enables non-technical users to bridge the gap between raw data and meaningful insights. Built on open standards like the Frictionless Data specifications, it ensures your data is clean, well-documented, and interoperable with other tools and systems.
Since version 1.6.0, ODE has included a privacy-preserving AI feature powered by offline large language models (LLMs), helping organisations begin their AI journey safely and transparently.
↪ Take the course: Learn how to use ODE
ODE in action: Real-world impact
The impact of ODE comes to life through the organisations using it every day to improve public data. Across continents, civil society groups, researchers, and public institutions have integrated ODE into their workflows – achieving measurable gains in data quality and efficiency.
Examples from the field
These examples show how ODE strengthens not only datasets but also the data literacy and autonomy of the people working with them.
Learning with Open Data Editor
The Open Data Editor was designed as both a tool and a learning resource. Communities can use it to improve data quality while learning essential data skills.
Our free online course, “Quality and Consistent Data with the Open Data Editor,” follows a learn-by-doing approach, covering key topics such as detecting and fixing errors, applying FAIR data principles, and understanding metadata.
The course is available in English on School of Data, in Portuguese on Escola de Dados, and soon in Spanish on Escuela de Datos. It quickly became a vital open educational resource for anyone wanting to turn data into knowledge.
What does this recognition mean?
Being designated as a digital public good means ODE has been independently verified to meet all nine indicators of the Digital Public Goods Standard, including:
- Open-source licensing that enables free use, study, and improvement
- Comprehensive documentation for diverse users
- Platform independence and interoperability
- Strong privacy and data protection practices
- Direct contribution to the UN SDGs
For NGOs, governments, and international organisations, this certification provides assurance that ODE is trustworthy, sustainable, and aligned with open standards.
“Better data means better decisions—and it is the foundation for any responsible public AI deployment. As a member of the Digital Public Goods Alliance, I am thrilled that Open Data Editor has been recognised as a digital public good. More than just a technical tool, it really helps everyone understand what FAIR data is in practice, learning by doing.”
— Renata Ávila, CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation
This recognition also reflects OKFN’s broader mission to create technology that serves the public good — tools that are useful, simple, long-lasting, and focused on solving real problems.
“Open Data Editor embodies the principles of The Tech We Want initiative. We’ve deliberately built ODE to be lightweight, accessible, and sustainable — avoiding the complexity and overengineering that often characterise software today.”
— Patricio Del Boca, Tech Lead, OKFN
The journey of developing ODE — and the lessons learned along the way — are documented in our publication, The Tech We Want | Read This Before You Build.
Join the community
Open Data Editor is free, open source, and available for everyone. Whether you’re a government agency managing public datasets, an NGO tracking programme outcomes, or a researcher working with community data, ODE is built for you.
Get started today:
About the Digital Public Goods Alliance
The Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) is a multi-stakeholder initiative endorsed by the United Nations Secretary-General, working to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by facilitating the discovery, development, and adoption of digital public goods.
The DPGA is governed by a strategic board and supported by a global community of stakeholders. Open Knowledge Foundation has been a proud member of the Alliance since 2023.
Acknowledgement
Our work on Open Data Editor has been made possible thanks to a charitable grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. Find out more about its funding programmes here.
If you have any questions or want any additional information about ODE, you can contact us at info@okfn.org.
