The eXtensible Metadata Platform or XMP is a specific type of extensible markup language used in PDF, photography and photo editing applications. It was first introduced by Adobe Systems in April 2001 as part of their Adobe Acrobat version 5.01 program. XMP is used in PDF and other graphics applications. It recognizes that a digital photo may go through multiple processing steps, from being photographed or scanned, through photo editing steps (such as cropping or color adjustment), to assembly into a final image. Thus XMP allows each software program or device along the way to add its own information to the digital photo, which is then retained in the final digital file.

In a typical edited JPEG file, XMP information is typically included alongside exif and IPTC data.

Licensing

Adobe has a trademark on XMP, and retains control over the specification. They have released source code for the XMP SDK under a license called the ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED – OPEN SOURCE LICENSE. The compatibility of this license with the GNU Public License has been questioned. The license is not listed on the list maintained by the Open Source Initiative and is different from the licenses for most of their other Open source software.