We have talked about Omeka before, always making reference to the S (Semantic) version but, what differences do exist between Omeka Classic and Omeka S? At this post we shall show them to you in an clear and easy way and we will give you our opinion in case you want to begin a new project with this software.

What is Omeka Classic?

Omeka Classic is an on-line publication platform where to share digital collections and to create exhibitions based on digital resources. All the elements use “Dublin Core” as predefined vocabulary, but it does not have the multisite functionality.

In other words, each installation provides a unique place, so it is impossible to separate the contents by theme, exhibition… It is not only one of the main limitations, but also the reason the development team opted to upgrade to a completely new version from scratch, maintaining support for Omeka Classic.

Its repository at Github shows a total number of 5,729 commits, 167 forks, 89 issues and 33 pull requests. These figures mean, in developers terms, that it has a moderate activity.

The last release, at the time of writing this post, dates the 25th of March. If we do compare this data with the Omeka S repository, we shall observe a slightly higher activity, in spite of its shorter time being.

Which are the differences with Omeka S (Omeka Classic vs Omeka S)?

The main difference resides in the fact that Omeka was designed for a single site on a given theme. Moreover, it only implements the Dublin Core vocabulary. This is why its use for the research staff is very limited and restricted to a single web or subject.

With the Omeka S version, the development team implemented a series of improvements around the Semantic web (Omeka S). It allows the creation of more complex relations, the establishment of relations between elements, the customization of vocabularies... In addition to that, it is compatible with the latest standards related to design factors and web maintenance.

Which Omeka version does Libnamic recommend?

Although we have executed several works with Omeka Classic throughout our professional career, and it is completely advisable, it does have limited functions.

This is why we recommend Omeka S, due to its potential and great connectivity. In addition, its community is by far more active, its modules and customizations offer is higher and it allows a greater level of configuration by the end user. Another factor to highlight is the compliance with the latest web accessibility, maintenance, and security standards.

Is it possible to migrate from Omeka Classic to Omeka S?

Yes, we have performed several services of this type, being totally feasible. The development team established a methodology to follow and with knowledge of database and migration, the minimization of the loss of information and the Omeka establishment are possible.