Provide metadata for both human users and computer applications.

Provide metadata that describes the overall features of datasets and distributions.

Provide metadata that describes the schema and internal structure of a distribution.

Provide a link to or copy of the license agreement that controls use of the data.

Provide complete information about the origins of the data and any changes you have made.

Provide information about data quality and fitness for particular purposes.

Assign and indicate a version number or date for each dataset.

Provide a complete version history that explains the changes made in each version.

Identify each dataset by a carefully chosen, persistent URI.

Reuse other people's URIs as identifiers within datasets where possible.

Assign URIs to individual versions of datasets as well as to the overall series.

Make data available in a machine-readable, standardized data format that is well suited to its intended or potential use.

Use locale-neutral data structures and values, or, where that is not possible, provide metadata about the locale used by data values.

Make data available in multiple formats when more than one format suits its intended or potential use.

Use terms from shared vocabularies, preferably standardized ones, to encode data and metadata.

Opt for a level of formal semantics that fits both data and the most likely applications.

Enable consumers to retrieve the full dataset with a single request.

If your dataset is large, enable users and applications to readily work with useful subsets of your data.

Use content negotiation in addition to file extensions for serving data available in multiple formats.

When data is produced in real time, make it available on the Web in real time or near real-time.

Make data available in an up-to-date manner, and make the update frequency explicit.

For data that is not available, provide an explanation about how the data can be accessed and who can access it.

For data that is not available, provide an explanation about how the data can be accessed and who can access it.

Provide complete information on the Web about your API. Update documentation as you add features or make changes.

Provide complete information on the Web about your API. Update documentation as you add features or make changes.

Avoid changes to your API that break client code, and communicate any changes in your API to your developers when evolution happens.

When removing data from the Web, preserve the identifier and provide information about the archived resource.

Assess the coverage of a dataset prior to its preservation.

Provide a readily discoverable means for consumers to offer feedback.

Make consumer feedback about datasets and distributions publicly available.

Enrich your data by generating new data when doing so will enhance its value.

Enrich data by presenting it in complementary, immediately informative ways, such as visualizations, tables, Web applications, or summaries.

Let the original publisher know when you are reusing their data. If you find an error or have suggestions or compliments, let them know.

Find and follow the licensing requirements from the original publisher of the dataset.

Acknowledge the source of your data in metadata. If you provide a user interface, include the citation visibly in the interface.