Publishing5 min read

SCORM vs xAPI vs cmi5 vs LTI — which to pick

Plain-English picker for the four publish targets we support.

Coursentials can publish a course in four shapes. Which one you want depends entirely on where the course will be launched from.

SCORM 1.2 — the safe default

Works in every LMS ever shipped (Moodle 1.x → 4.x, Canvas, Blackboard, TalentLMS, Cornerstone, LearnUpon, Docebo, SAP SuccessFactors, the lot). Tracks completion + a single score. Limits: 4,096-char suspend data; one quiz attempt; no nested objects.

Pick this if you don't know.

SCORM 2004 — for legacy LMSes that need branching

Adds proper sequencing, multiple objectives, and richer interactions. Worth the extra setup only if your LMS asks for it. Most don't.

cmi5 — the modern xAPI replacement for SCORM

Streams every interaction to a Learning Record Store (LRS) via xAPI statements while still presenting as a launchable LMS activity. Use this for course-level analytics across multiple LMSes — the LRS becomes your source of truth.

LTI 1.3 Advantage — for institutional rollouts

Instead of uploading a zip, the LMS launches the course directly from our hosted player. Instructors paste a single deep-link URL; updates are instant (no re-upload). Includes AGS (grade passback), NRPS (roster sync), and Dynamic Registration (1EdTech).

Best for: universities, large enterprise LMS deployments, anyone who wants to manage one URL instead of N zips.

Embed link — for your own site / app

Generates a signed iframe URL with a configurable TTL. Drop it into a marketing page, a member portal, or your own app. The signed token gates content + carries the learner identity into xAPI statements.

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