NDE Compatibility
Our software is built to meet the requirements of the Dutch Digital Heritage Network (NDE). Below, we explain what the NDE is, what its requirements mean in practice, and how our products are ready to connect.
What is the Dutch Digital Heritage Network?
The Dutch Digital Heritage Network (Netwerk Digitaal Erfgoed, or NDE) is a collaboration between Dutch heritage institutions, including museums, archives, and libraries, with the goal of making digital heritage findable, accessible, and usable for everyone.
The NDE sets out a shared infrastructure and standards that heritage organisations can adopt. By connecting to this network, institutions make their collections available in a consistent, interoperable way, enabling researchers, educators, and the general public to discover and use heritage data across institutional boundaries.
The NDE also runs subsidy programmes such as Versnellen, which help heritage organisations accelerate their digital transformation.
What does NDE compatibility mean?
NDE compatibility means that a system can connect to the shared infrastructure of the Dutch Digital Heritage Network. In practice, this involves several technical standards and conventions:
- Linked data: Exposing collection data using structured formats such as Schema.org and JSON-LD, so that data can be understood and reused by other systems.
- Network of Terms: The ability to look up and link to shared thesauri and authority files like the AAT (Art & Architecture Thesaurus) or RKDartists, via the NDE Network of Terms.
- IIIF: Support for the International Image Interoperability Framework, enabling images to be shared and viewed across platforms in a standardised way.
- NDE Register: Registration of datasets in the NDE Dataset Register, making collections discoverable across the network.
How our software meets NDE requirements
NDE readiness is not a bolt-on module in our products. It is built in from the start. Essentials+, Collection Publisher, Collection Manager, and the Collection API are all fully integrated with the NDE infrastructure.
Our software exposes collection data as linked data, supports linking to shared thesauri via the NDE Network of Terms, and provides IIIF-compatible image access where applicable. Collections can be registered in the NDE Dataset Register without requiring custom development work.
This means that organisations using our software have a clear, ready starting point for connecting to the Dutch Digital Heritage Network, without going through a complex integration process first.
Read more about NDE readiness in Essentials+.
Want to know more?
Visit the NDE website for detailed information about the network, its standards, and how to get involved.
Versnellen subsidy
The NDE runs the Versnellen programme to help heritage organisations accelerate their digital connection to the network. Applications for the next round are open until the 31st of May 2026 via the NDE website.