Herbie
Attributes
DescriptionThe semantic ELN Herbie
Herbie helps laboratories document recurring or standardized processes clearly and consistently. It transforms any ontology or vocabulary into well‑structured input forms, so that users can contribute to a semantic knowledge graph without needing RDF expertise. Data becomes fully semantically annotated, comparable, traceable, and easy to access. Through the semantically interconnected entries, the full lifecycle of a sample or experiment is visible at a glance, allowing for complex queries across the whole lab.
Thanks to its semantic design, Herbie can be adapted to a wide range of scientific domains and integrates smoothly into existing software environments, making it an ideal choice for interdisciplinary labs.
ProviderHelmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
Information on Provider
URLhereon.de/herbie
Activity Statusactive
Information on Active20.01.2026
Last checked on20.01.2026
Provider's data safety and data security strategies
Reference usersDr. Martin Held (martin.held@hereon.de), Head of department Instrumental Structure Analysis at Institute of Membrane Research at Hereon
Reviews
Exit strategyAll data can be accessed via API or downloaded in different formats, e.g. RO-Crate or json.
Community
Known usersHelmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, GEOMAR
General
LicenseOpen Source, AGPL 3.0 for ELN code incl. interfaces + additional Contributor License Agreement, CC BY-NC-SA for process protocols
PricingAcademic, Free, Industry, Chargeable / Paid for / fee-based, free for academic use
VersionsDemo hosted by NFDI: https://demo.chemotion.scc.kit.edu, Demo, herbie.hereon.de
Location of providerGermany
Usability
Customizable user interfaceCustomizable user interface, Process protocols can be adapted to a lab's specific needs by admins. Any ontology can be included to create new input forms by adding light-weight SHACL shape documents.
LanguagesGerman, English
SupportConsulting, Online documentation, Support by provider, User training (online, on site)
Usage statisticsNo usage statistics
Offline functionalitiesOffline cache, Offline data capture
Core functions (Daily work)
Data inputBrowser forms, Plain text editor, Microtitre plates, With internal links, With external links, Calendar function, Table editor
Data import (formats)Image formats, Document formats, Structured formats, Table formats, MS Office formats, RO-Crate
Data import (method)Drag & Drop / File Chooser
Data exportComplete content in machine readable format, Formats suitable for long term archiving, Formats suitable for publication
TemplatesSubject specific templates, Define own templates, Import of own templates, Microtitre plate templates
Search functionsDatabase queries, Advanced search, Semantic search
CollaborationRights management, Role management, Comments
Compliance with legal requirements
Preservation of evidenceVersioning, Audit Trail
Compliance
Extended functions (Daily work)
Laboratory management functionsInventory (devices), Materials database, Sample Tracking
Integrations and extensionsOn request, Create own plug-ins
AutomationAutomation: On request
Device connectionWithout device connection
Project management toolsProject management, Task management, Calendar
WorkflowsCross-project workflows, With workflows, Export possible, Import possible, flexible linking of individual steps to assemble whole workflow
Integration in RDM and IT environment
Application programming interfacesREST API
Controlled vocabularyControlled Vocabulary, All process protocols contain controlled vocabulary in the form of ontologies for comparability, quality control, and usability.
Data accessBrowser based, Responsive Design
Data storage locationLocal
Authentication methods
User account security measures
Usage optionOn-premises
Server operating systemWindows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android