Open specification · Portable knowledge · AI agents
Open KnowledgeFormat.
OKF is an open, vendor-neutral specification for organising context, metadata and curated knowledge used by AI agents.
OKF turns organisational knowledge into a portable directory of concepts.
Instead of leaving important knowledge scattered across documents, spreadsheets, internal wikis and applications, OKF organises it as simple Markdown files with clear metadata and explicit relationships.
The problem OKF addresses
An AI agent does not only need data. It needs context.
Data shows what exists. Knowledge explains what it means, when it should be used, who verifies it and what it connects to.
OKF provides a minimal structure for moving that context between teams, systems and agents.
Six core OKF principles.
The format standardises structure without dictating an entire knowledge model.
Open and vendor-neutral
Not tied to one model, cloud, agent framework or database.
Human-readable
Markdown remains easy to write, edit, review and version.
Agent-readable
YAML frontmatter adds type, identity, sources, status and freshness.
Portable
Bundles can move between systems without platform lock-in.
Concept-based
Each concept can have its own file and relationships.
Trust-aware
Provenance, verification, lifecycle and stale-content signals can be included.
What does an OKF bundle look like?
A standard directory containing Markdown files, subdirectories and relative links.
company-okf/ ├── index.md ├── organization.md ├── people/ │ ├── index.md │ └── founder.md ├── services/ │ ├── seo.md │ └── ai-search.md ├── markets/ │ └── europe.md └── log.md
index.md
The bundle entry map with description and links to primary concepts.
Concept documents
Each concept uses its own Markdown file with YAML frontmatter.
Relative links
Documents connect through normal Markdown links.
log.md
An optional history of changes and bundle evolution.
One concept. Two layers of meaning.
YAML provides machine-readable structure. Markdown explains the concept in human language.
--- type: Organization title: Total Dizajn resource: https://www.totaldizajn.com/ tags: - seo - ai-search status: stable --- # Total Dizajn Total Dizajn is a founder-led digital agency. - [Predrag Petrović](people/predrag-petrovic.md) - [SEO services](services/seo.md) - [AI Search optimization](services/ai-search.md)
OKF is not the same as Schema.org.
These systems complement each other but solve different problems.
| System | Main purpose | Format | Primary users |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKF | Portable organisational context and knowledge | Markdown + YAML | People, agents, knowledge catalogues |
| Schema.org | Structured entity descriptions on web pages | JSON-LD, Microdata, RDFa | Search engines and web systems |
| XML Sitemap | Discovery of important URLs | XML | Search crawlers |
| llms.txt | Suggested navigation for LLM consumers | Plain text / Markdown style | AI tools and agents |
Where can OKF be useful?
It is most valuable where an agent needs business meaning, not raw data alone.
Data catalogues
Tables, metrics, business terms, owners and usage rules.
Internal AI agents
Reliable context for analytics, support, sales and operations.
Organisational knowledge
People, services, processes, markets, policies and methodologies.
System exchange
Move curated knowledge without platform lock-in.
An organisation that clearly describes its knowledge becomes easier to understand.
OKF does not automatically create rankings or guarantee AI citations, but it can create a portable and maintainable context layer for compatible agents and systems.
“Knowledge must be explained, connected, verifiable and portable.”
How should you start with OKF?
Begin with a small bundle, then expand it through real team and agent requirements.
Select concepts
Organisation, people, services, metrics and policies.
Write Markdown
One clear document per concept.
Add metadata
Type, title, sources, verification and freshness.
Connect and test
Validate YAML, links and public claims.
Official sources.
The English page follows the official references included in the Serbian source.
01Introducing the Open Knowledge FormatGoogle Cloud
02Open Knowledge Format SpecificationOfficial spec
03OKF README and examplesGitHub
FAQ
OKF, without the mystification.
What is Open Knowledge Format?
An open, vendor-neutral format for linked Markdown documents with YAML metadata.
Does OKF replace Schema.org and SEO?
No. It supports portable knowledge, while HTML, Schema.org, indexing and technical SEO remain separate systems.
What does an OKF bundle contain?
Markdown files, YAML frontmatter, relative links and optional provenance, verification and freshness data.
Organise knowledge. Prepare it for agents.
Total Dizajn can help with OKF bundles, entity architecture, Schema.org and AI Search strategy.
Discuss an OKF project