Quick start

A minimal, practical workflow you can follow in minutes: download the demo roadbook, validate it, make a small edit, and run an export. These steps assume common CLI tooling (Node.js/npm or npx for AJV). Adapt commands to your environment.

Prerequisites

Install a JSON Schema validator (AJV CLI is shown) and any reference export tools you use for GPX/PDF generation. Node.js (>=16) or a similar runtime is sufficient for the examples below.

Node.js + npm (for npx ajv) or an equivalent JSON Schema validator.
The published schema: /schemas/orb.schema.json (resolver-friendly).
A copy of the demo ORB file: /demos/demo.orb.yaml.

Step 1 — Download the demo

Copy the demo file into your working directory to use as a template or to run validation.

cp public/demos/demo.orb.yaml ./demo.orb.yaml

(If you are browsing the site directly, use the /demos/demo.orb.yaml link to download.)

Step 2 — Validate the file

Run a JSON Schema validation to confirm the document meets the format rules. The schema includes a stable $id so validators can resolve references.

npx ajv validate \
  -s https://openroadbook.com/schemas/orb.schema.json \
  -d demo.orb.yaml --spec=draft2020

A passing run returns with exit code 0. Fix reported errors (types, ranges, missing required fields, or unknown symbol IDs) before exporting or sharing the file.

Step 3 — Make a small edit

Update metadata or an entry. Example: set the document title and change an entry note.

meta:
  id: "my-event-2025"
  title: "My Local Rally — SS1"

entries:
  - km: 0.00
    tulip: start
    notes: "Start here"
  - km: 2.35
    tulip: turn_left
    cap: 270
    notes: "Caution: loose gravel"

Save and re-run the validator to ensure the edits remain conformant.

Step 4 — Export / render

Use your project’s converter or the reference CLI to produce GPX or printable PDFs. Exact commands depend on the tooling you adopt; the following are examples for common tasks.

GPX

# example using a reference exporter script
node tools/export-gpx.js demo.orb.yaml -o demo.gpx

PDF (print layout)

# example using a renderer script
node tools/render-pdf.js demo.orb.yaml -o demo.pdf

If you don’t have reference tools locally, the repository’s tools/ folder documents available converters and scripts. Add CI checks to run validation automatically when publishing roadbooks.

Troubleshooting & tips

Units: the schema expects kilometres for distance unless the document’s meta.units overrides this — keep units explicit.
Symbol IDs: make sure every ID in symbols exists in the registry; unknown IDs fail validation.
Profiles: validation rules change per profile (e.g., FIA may require additional fields). Pin schema versions for reproducible builds.

Where to go next

Read the format overview for detailed field definitions, or the specification for normative validation and conformance requirements. If you’d like, I can add a runnable example (Makefile or NPM script) that wires the steps above into a single command.