Khronos Conformance
If you are a software developer, you are free to use Khronos APIs to program software tools, applications and middleware with no restrictions of any kind.
Adopters
If you or your company is developing a product that implements a Khronos API then you must pass conformance tests defined by Khronos before you can use the name or logo of the API in association with your product or call your product ‘compliant’ or ‘conformant’ with a Khronos specification. This is to ensure that Khronos APIs are consistently implemented by multiple vendors to create a reliable platform for developers.
To enable companies to test their products for conformance, Khronos has established an Adopters Program for each API. A company that signs a Khronos Adopter Agreement for an API is called an Adopter:
- there is a small fee to become an Adopter for an API – so Khronos can cover its costs. The Adopter fee is typically $15K for an unlimited number of products that implement the API. Khronos members typically receive a discount
- the Khronos Adopters Agreement includes a source license to the Khronos Conformance Tests for the API – which the Adopter downloads, ports and runs on their platform to generate test result logs
- Adopters are provided access to an Adopters Mailing list; a priority channel for 2-way interaction with Khronos working group members
- Khronos provides a server to upload your test logs - which are then reviewed by the API working group – and after 30 days your products are deemed conformant
- The Adopter Agreement also contains a trademark license agreement which lets you use the API names and logos in association with your conformant product
- The associated Khronos Group Conformance Test Process Procedures document contains details about fees, what products are covered by a submission, how to update products submissions and what happens if issues are found with your submission etc.
- The Khronos Trademark Guidelines provide more details about precisely how and when Khronos trademarks can be used by Adopters during the development and conformance process
- When you use Khronos trademarks you should follow the Khronos Trademark Usage Guidelines
Khronos will promote your conformant products on its web-site once they have passed conformance.
Implementers
Khronos has some standards that benefit from enabling a much wider community to run and use conformance tests in addition to the companies actually implementing the specifications. Currently these include COLLADA and WebGL. For these standards Khronos has implemented an Implementers Program that you can join through a for free through click-through Implementers Agreement. The Implementers Program provides access to a slimmed down version of the Adopters Program with a less formal process – but you can only use the name of an API and NOT the logo of an API after using the Implementers Program to become Conformant.
| Implementers Program | Adopters Program | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Nominal Fee |
| Test source access | Yes | Yes |
| Result submission | To gain trademark rights | To gain trademark rights and marketing benefits |
| Review | Informal | Formal |
| Trademark rights | Text only | Text, Logo and Conformance Badges |
| Adopter Mailing List | No | Yes |
| Marketing Benefits | No | Yes |
Implementer Programs are intended for use by the community around an API and complement the full Adopters Program. If you are implementing a product using a Khronos API you are encouraged to become an Adopter and enjoy full Adopter benefits.
For more details
Paying Conformance Testing Submission Fees
All Adopters pay a Conformance Test Submission Fee which enables the Adopter to make an unlimited number of Submissions for any number of Conformant Products using any version of the API up to, and including the latest version of the Tests included in the current Adopters Package at the time of execution of the Adopters Agreement.