Documentation · Data model

Change policy

Our data model, files and API will change as we add sources and fields. This page explains what we announce, where, and how to build an integration that keeps working when things change.

Why things change

Most changes add something: a new source, a new property once we can parse it, a new file format. Some remove or rename things: a source that stops publishing, a property replaced by a better one, an endpoint redesigned. Removals and renames are the ones that can break an integration, so they are the ones this policy is about.

What the change log covers

The change log records changes to the data model, the metadata files, the download formats and the API, and the removal of sources. New sources are not announced there one by one; they appear in All data sources and in each collection’s sources.json.

Notice before removals and renames

ComponentAdditionsRemovals and renames
Data model (schemas, properties, topics)Without noticeTo be confirmed
Metadata files (index.json, sources.json, catalogue)Without noticeTo be confirmed
Sources and collectionsWithout noticeTo be confirmed (a source can also disappear when its publisher stops publishing or withdraws permission)
APIWithout noticeTo be confirmed
Download formats and columnsWithout noticeTo be confirmed
To be provided: the notice period for each removal or rename above, and whether it differs for customers with a contract. These are commitments to customers and need an owner decision, consistent with section 11 of the terms.

Building an integration that lasts

  • Ignore what you do not know. Read the fields and properties you need and skip the rest, so that new properties, new fields in index.json and new collections do not break your code.
  • Do not depend on a fixed list of sources. Treat datasets and sources.json as open lists.
  • Check the version. Compare each collection’s version in the catalogue before downloading, and verify files against their SHA-256 checksums.
  • Store record IDs, not names. See storing references.
  • Read the change log before upgrading anything that parses our files.

To follow changes in a feed reader, subscribe to the change log RSS feed (/estate/changelog/rss.xml). It carries the same entries as the change log page.

Questions and feedback

Write to [email protected] about a change that affects you, or see Get support.

To be provided: whether we will run a community channel (forum or chat) for integrators.

Last updated 2026-10-04