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MCF ecosystem

MCF 1.1 is the shared source contract at the center of the project. Each implementation reads or writes that contract while remaining free to choose its own language, interface, output format, storage model, and visual design.

                              mcf-spec
                      MCF source standard
                                  │
             ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
             │                    │                    │
         mcf-npm             mcf-python          Theoria Core
             │                    │                    │
 TypeScript/Node compiler   Python compiler      Browser-only React PWA
 and static course reader  and static reader    reader, writer, and compiler

Implementation status

The MCF 1.1 specification and conformance materials are current in this repository. The implementations below must adopt the 1.1 schemas and suite before claiming 1.1 conformance.

mcf-npm

The TypeScript/Node reference implementation provides validation, compilation, a programmatic API, and a generated offline static course reader. Its emitted HTML, CSS, JavaScript, progress model, and navigation are not requirements of the standard.

Repository: apv022/mcf-npm

mcf-python

The independent Python implementation provides validation and compilation, packaging, tests, and parity tooling. It demonstrates that MCF is not tied to JavaScript or one compiler codebase.

Repository: apv022/mcf-python

Theoria Core

Theoria Core is a built, fully client-side React PWA prototype—not merely a plan. It currently provides:

  • bundled-course discovery and study;
  • browser-local progress and authored work in IndexedDB;
  • visual course and lesson authoring;
  • folder, multi-file, and bounded ZIP import;
  • browser-side validation and compilation in a Web Worker;
  • source and compiled ZIP export;
  • offline application-shell and bundled-content caching; and
  • production static output with desktop and mobile browser tests.

It has no required server runtime, account system, cloud database, or cloud persistence. Remote media still requires a network connection, and client-visible assessment answers are suitable for self-study rather than secure examinations.

Theoria Core has not yet adopted the complete 1.1 contract. Supporting its new package kinds, questions, rubrics, completion rules, and metadata is separate implementation work.

Repository: apv022/theoria-core

Interoperability expectation

A conforming implementation preserves:

  • declared package, chapter, lesson, activity, and question ordering;
  • stable identifiers and package relationships;
  • all core activity, question, scoring, rubric, and completion semantics;
  • asset paths, bytes, attribution, and accessibility relationships;
  • optional unknown extensions during lossless editing; and
  • validation failures and codes required by the conformance materials.

Implementations may differ in:

  • generated file layout and visual presentation;
  • learner progress and persistence;
  • feedback timing and navigation;
  • offline and installation behavior;
  • accessibility design beyond portable source metadata;
  • compilation metadata and output packaging; and
  • operational integrations.

Authority

When implementation behavior conflicts with the applicable normative MCF specification, the specification and conformance materials take precedence. Implementation documentation must not silently redefine source meaning.