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Murmurations is a distributed data sharing protocol to facilitate collaboration at scale.

How it works

The Murmurations protocol combines three key elements.
1

Profiles

A Murmurations profile is a .json file which describes a ‘node’ on the Murmurations network.

Anyone can make a profile to describe a person, a project, an organisation, or any other entity.

Profiles are hosted anywhere online and their URLs are submitted to the Murmurations Network.

The Open Co-op JSON profile
2

The Network

The Murmurations Network of indexes keeps a record of all the profile URLs and timestamps of when they were last updated. 

When you update a profile you can resubmit its URL to update an index in the network.

Indexes are accessible to aggregators via an open API.

3

Aggregators

Aggregators query the indexes regularly for profile changes, enabling them to provide accurate and timely information in maps, directories and content aggregators, using the Murmurations WordPress aggregator plugin, or their own custom code.

Murmurations also enables other types of decentralised data sharing and content aggregation – read about what else you can build on Murmurations.

Murmurations map of Co-ops in London
An introduction to Murmurations
The Murmurations WordPress Plugins
Benefits of Murmurations

Who's using Murmurations?

The following organisations have fully integrated the Murmurations Protocol so that their data is dynamically updated as part of the open data commons.

The following organisations have partially integrated the Murmurations Protocol so that their data is part of the open data commons.

What can you do with Murmurations?

Collaborative Mapping

Murmurations enables multiple maps and directories to be built from a shared, distributed data set.

Murmurations solves the problems of centralised maps and directories, managed by a single entity or person by:

  • Distributing the effort of data collection
  • Making data interoperable so it can power multiple maps and directories
  • Providing a ‘last updated’ timestamp to show the age of every profile
  • Distributing the effort of keeping data up to date
  • Enabling Profile changes to be reflected on multiple maps and directories
  • Improving data quality, reliability and usability


Read more about collaborative mapping

Murmurations map

Explore the map

Find ethical businesses, Co-ops, Transition Towns, Eco Villages and other regeneratve economy projects and organisations in your area.

Murmurations profile maker

Add a profile

Add yourself and your projects to the network to promote your work. Share Offers and Wants and help grow the regenerative commons.

Create a custom map

Draw from, and add to, a large body of mapping data so you don’t need to start from scratch and your mapping efforts contribute to the commons.

What else can you do with Murmurations?

Murmurations enables a wide range of opportunities to improve decentralised collaboration in multiple sectors.

Support Murmurations

Murmurations is an unfunded volunteer-led project.

Please consider making a donation to support the development of better maps, directories and aggregators.

Donate in BTC to: 1BH3oRiRfhwPBgvTdUuG5cy1zP5ppMD8Wg

To donate in ETH please contact us.

Get in Touch

We are especially interested to hear from organisations within the solidarity / mutual aid / collaborative / cooperative economy who share our ambitions to reveal the synergies within our movement – and would be interested in collaboration.