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https://github.com/openedx/xblock

Framework for building custom learning components that run in the Open edX LMS!
https://github.com/openedx/xblock

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Framework for building custom learning components that run in the Open edX LMS!

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README 

        
XBlock

######



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Purpose

*******



XBlock is the Open edX component architecture for building courseware.



This repo contains the core code for implementing XBlocks. Open edX courseware

is built out of components that are combined hierarchically. These include

components like the video player, `LON-CAPA`_ problems, as well as compound

components like learning sequences. The API for these components is called

XBlocks.



.. _LON-CAPA: http://www.lon-capa.org/



How does this differ from existing industry standards like `Learning Tools

Interoperability`_ (LTI) and `SCORM`_? On a high level, XBlocks is a Python

language-level API, and it provides sensible defaults for things like storing

data. XBlocks could be wrapped up in LTI, and one could make an LTI XBlock. The

core reason to write an XBlock is that it is deployable. You can give us the

code to an XBlock, and we can embed it in our courseware. LTI would require you

to give us a virtual machine image which ran it.



.. _Learning Tools Interoperability: http://www.imsglobal.org/toolsinteroperability2.cfm

.. _SCORM: http://scorm.com/scorm-explained/



Getting Started

***************



Developing

==========



One Time Setup

--------------



First, clone the repository:



.. code-block:: bash



   git clone [email protected]:openedx/XBlock.git



Go to the XBlock directory, set up a virtual environment using ``virtualenvwrapper`` with

the same name as the repo and activate it:



.. code-block:: bash



   cd XBlock

   mkvirtualenv -p python3.11 XBlock



Every time you develop something in this repo

---------------------------------------------



.. code-block:: bash



  # Activate the virtualenv

  workon XBlock



  # Grab the latest code

  git checkout master

  git pull



  # Install/update the dev requirements

  make requirements



  # Run the tests and quality checks (to verify the status before you make any changes)

  make validate



  # Make a new branch for your changes

  git checkout -b /



  # Using your favorite editor, edit the code to make your change.

  vim ...



  # Run your new tests

  pytest ./path/to/new/tests



  # Run all the tests and quality checks

  make validate



  # Commit all your changes

  git commit ...

  git push



  # Open a PR and ask for review.



Deploying

---------



To package a new release:



#. Describe the release in `CHANGELOG.rst`_



#. Update the ``__version__`` number in `xblock/__init__.py`_



#. Use the github release mechanism to release a new version. This will tag and publish the package.



.. _CHANGELOG.rst: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/blob/master/CHANGELOG.rst

.. _xblock/__init__.py: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/blob/master/xblock/__init__.py



Using the XBlock-SDK

********************



The XBlock-SDK exists in a separate repository. The SDK contains useful tools for

developing your own XBlocks, such as a template XBlock generator, sample XBlocks

that demonstrate XBlock functionality.



You can find it in its own repository: https://github.com/openedx/xblock-sdk



Getting Help

************



Documentation

=============



The docs for the XBlock API is on Read The Docs: https://xblock.readthedocs.org .



Reading the code

----------------



There are distinct layers to this code.  In the docstrings, we've tried to make

clear which layer the code lives in, though sometimes the lines are blurred:



1.  **XBlock** The sample XBlock code.  This is the most important, it is the

    code that most third parties will be writing, and demonstrates the XBlock

    interfaces.



2.  **Runtime** The runtime code that we think will be common to all runtimes.

    This is the behind-the-scenes code edX will write to make XBlocks work.

    This layer may not be real code here, but we'll need to write real code to

    perform these functions.



Making your own XBlock

----------------------



Making an XBlock can be as simple as creating a Python class with a few

specific methods.



Instructions for constructing a new XBlock along with examples can be found in

the `XBlock SDK`_.



.. _XBlock SDK: https://github.com/openedx/xblock-sdk



More Help

=========



If you're having trouble, we have discussion forums at

https://discuss.openedx.org where you can connect with others in the

community.



Our real-time conversations are on Slack. You can request a `Slack

invitation`_, then join our `community Slack workspace`_.



For anything non-trivial, the best path is to open an issue in this

repository with as many details about the issue you are facing as you

can provide.



https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/issues



For more information about these options, see the `Getting Help`_ page.



.. _Slack invitation: https://openedx.org/slack

.. _community Slack workspace: https://openedx.slack.com/

.. _Getting Help: https://openedx.org/getting-help



License

*******



The code in this repository is licensed the Apache 2.0 license unless otherwise

noted.



Please see `LICENSE.txt`_ for details.



.. _LICENSE.txt: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/blob/master/LICENSE.txt



Contributing

************



Contributions are very welcome!



Please read `How To Contribute `_ for details.



This project is currently accepting all types of contributions, bug fixes,

security fixes, maintenance work, or new features.  However, please make sure

to have a discussion about your new feature idea with the maintainers prior to

beginning development to maximize the chances of your change being accepted.

You can start a conversation by creating a new issue on this repo summarizing

your idea.



The Open edX Code of Conduct

****************************



All community members are expected to follow the `Open edX Code of Conduct`_.



.. _Open edX Code of Conduct: https://openedx.org/code-of-conduct/



People

******



The assigned maintainers for this component and other project details may be

found in `Backstage`_. Backstage pulls this data from the ``catalog-info.yaml``

file in this repo.



.. _Backstage: https://backstage.openedx.org/catalog/default/component/xblock



Reporting Security Issues

*************************



Please do not report security issues in public. Please email [email protected]



.. |pypi-badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/XBlock.svg

    :target: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/XBlock/

    :alt: PyPI



.. |ci-badge| image:: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/workflows/Python%20CI/badge.svg?branch=master

    :target: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/actions

    :alt: CI



.. |codecov-badge| image:: https://codecov.io/github/openedx/XBlock/coverage.svg?branch=master

    :target: https://codecov.io/github/openedx/XBlock?branch=master

    :alt: Codecov



.. |doc-badge| image:: https://readthedocs.org/projects/XBlock/badge/?version=latest

    :target: https://edx.readthedocs.io/projects/xblock/en/latest/

    :alt: Documentation



.. |pyversions-badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/pyversions/XBlock.svg

    :target: https://edx.readthedocs.io/projects/xblock/en/latest/

    :alt: Supported Python versions



.. |license-badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/license/openedx/XBlock.svg

    :target: https://github.com/openedx/XBlock/blob/master/LICENSE.txt

    :alt: License



.. |status-badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Maintained-brightgreen

    :alt: Repo is maintained.