Tin Can API
Tin Can API is the original name for xAPI, a specification that records learning experiences as activity statements across systems.
Tin Can API is the project name under which the Experience API (xAPI) was developed, and the two terms refer to the same specification. It captures learning activity as 'actor-verb-object' statements that are stored in a Learning Record Store (LRS), allowing tracking beyond a single course or platform.
Compared with SCORM, Tin Can API can record informal, offline, mobile and simulation-based experiences, not just content launched inside an LMS. Many vendors and authoring tools continue to use the Tin Can name interchangeably with xAPI.
How Tin Can API works in Violetinfo.ai
VioletLMS supports Tin Can API (xAPI) so activity from courses and external sources can be captured and reported through VInsights analytics.
Tin Can API in one line
Tin Can API is the name used while the Experience API (xAPI) was being developed. Today "Tin Can" and "xAPI" mean the same e-learning specification: a way for any learning activity, in or outside an LMS, to send a simple record of what someone did to a central store.
How a Tin Can (xAPI) statement works
Every record is a statement made of an actor, a verb and an object, for example "Priya completed Fire Safety Basics" or "Arjun scored 85% on the Product Quiz". Statements can carry extra detail such as a score, duration, device or location.
Statements are sent to a Learning Record Store (LRS). The LRS can sit inside an LMS or stand on its own, and reports pull from it to show learning across courses, apps, simulations, videos and on-the-job tasks in one place.
Tin Can API vs SCORM
SCORM tracks courses launched inside an LMS in a browser session, and mainly records completion, score and time. Tin Can (xAPI) can track almost any experience, including mobile apps, offline learning that syncs later, simulations, and real-world activities, and it does not require content to be launched from the LMS.
Many organisations use both: SCORM for packaged courses, and xAPI where they need richer or off-platform tracking. cmi5 is a newer profile that combines xAPI tracking with LMS-style course launch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the definition of Tin Can API?
Tin Can API is the original name of xAPI (Experience API), an e-learning specification that records learning activities as "actor-verb-object" statements and stores them in a Learning Record Store, so learning can be tracked across many systems, not only an LMS.
Is Tin Can API the same as xAPI?
Yes. Tin Can was the project name during development; the released specification is called xAPI (Experience API). Many tools still use both names for the same thing.
What is the difference between Tin Can API and SCORM?
SCORM tracks courses launched inside an LMS and records mainly completion, score and time. Tin Can (xAPI) can record almost any learning experience, online or offline, inside or outside the LMS, with much more detail.
Does Tin Can API need a Learning Record Store?
Yes. Tin Can (xAPI) statements are sent to a Learning Record Store (LRS), which can be built into an LMS or run as a separate system.