# brat rapid annotation tool > online environment for collaborative structured annotation of texts **Wikidata**: [Q126084820](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q126084820) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/brat-rapid-annotation-tool ## Summary The **brat rapid annotation tool** (commonly referred to as **brat**) is an online environment designed for the collaborative, structured annotation of texts. It is a software tool utilized for natural language processing tasks, including part-of-speech tagging, text enrichment, and the dissemination of annotated data. The name "brat" is a recursive acronym. ## Key Facts - **Classification:** It is an instance of software designed for text annotation. - **Core Function:** The tool is used for collaboration, enriching text, annotation, disseminating data, and part-of-speech tagging. - **Licenses:** It is distributed under the MIT License and the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. - **Source Code:** The repository is hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/nlplab/brat`. - **Website:** The official online environment is located at `https://brat.nlplab.org/`. - **Version History:** The tool's development includes a stable release timeline ranging from version 0.1 (February 3, 2011) to the preferred stable version 1.3b (October 17, 2012). - **Listings:** It is indexed in the Social Sciences and Humanities Open Marketplace, the Text Analysis Portal for Research (TAPoR), and the TMF-Portal ToolPool Health Research. - **Copyright Status:** The software is classified as copyrighted. ## FAQs ### Q: What is the primary purpose of the brat rapid annotation tool? A: The primary purpose of brat is to provide an online environment for the structured annotation of texts. It supports collaborative work and is specifically used for tasks such as part-of-speech tagging and enriching text data. ### Q: What type of software license does brat use? A: The brat rapid annotation tool is available under the MIT License and the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. ### Q: When was the brat rapid annotation tool released? A: The earliest version listed in the release history is version 0.1, dated February 3, 2011. The most recent preferred stable version listed is 1.3b, released on October 17, 2012. ### Q: Is brat a local or online tool? A: Brat is described as an online environment, allowing for collaborative annotation over the web. ## Why It Matters The brat rapid annotation tool addresses a critical need in the fields of computational linguistics and digital humanities for accessible, web-based data curation. By providing an online environment specifically optimized for **collaborative structured annotation**, it lowers the barrier to entry for researchers who need to create high-quality training data for natural language processing (NLP) tasks such as **part-of-speech tagging**. Unlike offline, single-user annotation tools, brat facilitates the dissemination and enrichment of text corpora through a standard web browser. Its inclusion in major research portals like the **Social Sciences and Humanities Open Marketplace** and **TAPoR** highlights its relevance as a standard utility in text analysis. The combination of a free license (MIT/CC) and a robust version history established in the early 2010s made it a foundational tool for modern collaborative text annotation workflows. ## Notable For - **Recursive Acronym:** The name "brat" is styled as a recursive acronym. - **Collaborative Focus:** It is distinctively designed as an online environment for real-time collaboration, rather than a standalone desktop application. - **Versatile Annotation:** It supports specific technical tasks like part-of-speech tagging and general text enrichment within a single platform. - **Rapid Development Cycle:** The project released seven stable versions (from 0.1 to 1.0) within the first year of its public availability (2011). - **Open Access:** It is widely accessible due to its open-source licensing (MIT) and availability via GitHub. ## Body ### Identity and Function The **brat rapid annotation tool** is a software application classified as an "online environment for collaborative structured annotation of texts." The name "brat" acts as a recursive acronym. As an instance of software, it serves as a non-tangible executable component utilized primarily for text analysis. Its defined uses include collaboration, annotation, enriching existing texts, disseminating information, and specific linguistic tasks like part-of-speech tagging. ### Technical Specifications and Availability Brat is accessible via its official website (`https://brat.nlplab.org/`) and its source code is available in a repository hosted on GitHub (`https://github.com/nlplab/brat`). The project operates under a dual-licensing framework: the **MIT License** and the **Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported** license. The tool is copyrighted and is listed in several prominent research tool aggregators, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Open Marketplace, the Text Analysis Portal for Research (TAPoR), and the TMF-Portal ToolPool Health Research. ### Version History The development of the brat rapid annotation tool is documented through a series of stable releases, primarily occurring between 2011 and 2012. - **2011 Releases:** The software saw rapid iteration in its first year. Version 0.1 was released on February 3, followed by 0.2 on February 24. Subsequent updates included 0.3b (May 20), 0.3 (May 24), 0.4 (October 6), 0.5 (November 17), and version 1.0 on December 5. - **2012 Update:** The most recent stable version cited in the provided data is **version 1.3b**, released on October 17, 2012, and marked as the preferred stable version. ## References 1. [Source](https://marketplace.sshopencloud.eu/tool-or-service/pC5SBh) 2. [Source](https://tapor.ca/tools/164) 3. [Source](https://www.toolpool-gesundheitsforschung.de/produkte/brat-rapid-annotation-tool) 4. [Source](https://brat.nlplab.org/introduction.html) 5. [Release 0.1. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.1) 6. [Release 0.2. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.2) 7. [Release 0.3b. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.3b) 8. [Release 0.3. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.3) 9. [Release 0.4. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.4) 10. [Release 0.5. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v0.5) 11. [Release 1.0. 2011](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v1.0) 12. [Release 1.3b. 2012](https://github.com/nlplab/brat/releases/tag/v1.3b)