CDLI Framework Update (NEH)

Major infrastructure update for the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative, led by UCLA and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The CDLI Framework Update (NEH Grant HAA-256224-17) was a transformative infrastructure project led by UCLA (Robert K. Englund and Émilie Pagé-Perron) to modernise the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI). The project focused on building a sustainable, modular web platform, improving accessibility, and providing advanced tools for researchers and the public.

Project Highlights

  • Modern PHP Framework: Migrated CDLI’s core services to a new, modular CakePHP framework, replacing legacy infrastructure.
  • Advanced Data Tools: Developed converters and validators for cuneiform data formats (ATF, TEI, CoNLL, Brat), enabling seamless data processing and interoperability.
  • Open Source and Open Data: All code and data were made publicly available on GitLab and the CDLI API, accessible with the CDLI API Client.
  • Accessibility and Community: The new interface was designed for accessibility and informed by user surveys and testing. Documentation was expanded for all new features and data formats.
  • Robust Deployment: Infrastructure is now deployed with Docker, with backups at partner institutions worldwide.
Left: The new CDLI framework homepage. Right: Enhanced search and data navigation tools.

Impact

  • Dramatic Growth: The new framework was a game-changer—in 2024, CDLI reached 2 million views, a tenfold increase over previous years.
  • Broader Audience: The platform now serves a much wider public, including students, researchers, and the general public worldwide.
  • Sustainability: The new infrastructure is easier to maintain, extend, and mirror, ensuring long-term access to cuneiform heritage.

Collaboration

While the framework update was led by UCLA, the project benefited from a close, synergetic collaboration with the MTAAC project. The University of Toronto contributed interface design expertise and collaborated on documentation and data processing tools, ensuring both projects could share infrastructure and maximize impact.

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