Worth remembering
The format you export a course in determines where it can be delivered and what you can track. SCORM works for most LMS delivery scenarios. xAPI works when learning happens outside a formal course or when your platform uses a Learning Record Store. PDF and private links work when you need to share content without any learning infrastructure at all.
Before you publish a course, you need to choose how to package it. That choice determines which platforms can receive it, what learner data gets recorded, and how much infrastructure you need on the delivery side.
Most L&D teams default to SCORM because it is what their LMS expects. That is often the right call. But SCORM is not the only option, and in some situations it is not the best one.
This guide explains each major export format available in Easygenerator, what each one is for, and how to decide which fits your delivery scenario.
Why the export format matters
An export format is not just a file type. It defines the relationship between your course and the platform receiving it.
SCORM packages communicate with an LMS using a shared runtime protocol. The LMS expects the package, reads its manifest file, launches the course, and records the data the course sends back. If you upload a SCORM package to a platform that does not support SCORM, nothing works.
xAPI works differently. It sends statements about learning activity to a Learning Record Store (LRS) using a standard API. The LRS can sit inside an LMS, alongside one, or independently of any LMS entirely. xAPI is not tied to a specific delivery context the way SCORM is.
PDF and private link delivery skip the protocol layer entirely. There is no runtime communication, no package structure, and no LMS dependency. You share content; the recipient opens it.
Choosing the right format means matching the format’s capabilities to your delivery environment and your tracking requirements.
SCORM 1.2
SCORM 1.2 is the most widely supported e-learning standard across commercial LMS platforms. It tracks completion status, score, time spent, and pass or fail results. The LMS receives a .zip package, registers the course, and records data as the learner progresses.
Use SCORM 1.2 when your LMS supports it and you need reliable completion and score tracking. It is the safest default for most corporate LMS deployments because its adoption rate is higher than any other version.
The main limitation of SCORM 1.2 is that it only works inside an LMS. If the learning happens outside a formal course, SCORM 1.2 cannot track it. It also lacks the richer data fields that SCORM 2004 introduced.
Worth remembering
SCORM 1.2 remains the most widely supported e-learning standard across commercial LMS platforms, driven by near-universal adoption during the early growth of the corporate LMS market. (ADL Initiative, SCORM conformance documentation, 2023)
SCORM 2004
SCORM 2004 adds more detailed tracking capabilities over SCORM 1.2. It supports more granular pass/fail sequencing, better bookmarking so learners can return to exactly where they left off, and more precise data fields for reporting.
Use SCORM 2004 when your LMS supports it and you need more detailed reporting than SCORM 1.2 provides. It is particularly useful for longer courses where bookmarking matters, and for organizations that need granular completion data for compliance records.
The tradeoff is LMS compatibility. SCORM 2004 requires a more modern LMS, and not all platforms support it as reliably as SCORM 1.2. Check your LMS documentation before choosing SCORM 2004 as your default.
For a full comparison of both SCORM versions and a guide to verifying your LMS compatibility, see what is a SCORM-compliant LMS?
xAPI
xAPI (also called Tin Can API) was designed to track learning activity beyond the LMS. It uses a simple statement structure: someone did something. Those statements are sent to a Learning Record Store, which can sit inside a modern LMS, alongside one, or independently of any LMS entirely.
xAPI tracks completion and score the way SCORM does. It also tracks activity that SCORM cannot, including mobile learning, simulations, performance support interactions, video watch progress, and informal on-the-job learning.
Use xAPI when your delivery environment includes learning outside a formal course, when your LMS or learning experience platform (LXP) has a native LRS, or when you want to consolidate learning data from multiple sources in one place.
Worth remembering
The tradeoff is infrastructure. xAPI requires an LRS to receive and store the statements. If your LMS does not include one and you do not have a standalone LRS, xAPI data has nowhere to go.
For a detailed comparison of SCORM and xAPI, see SCORM vs xAPI: what is the difference? For information on cmi5, the modern profile built on top of xAPI, see cmi5: what it is and why you need it.
PDF export
PDF export converts your course into a static document. There is no runtime communication, no LMS required, and no interactive elements. The learner downloads or opens the file and reads it.
Use PDF export when the content is reference material rather than a course, when learners need an offline copy to keep, or when the content needs to live in a document management system alongside other files. It is also useful for sharing course content with stakeholders for review before publishing the interactive version.
PDF export is not suited for tracking. There is no mechanism to record whether a learner opened the file, read it, or understood it. If completion and comprehension matter, use SCORM or xAPI instead.
Private link delivery
Private link delivery publishes your course as a shareable URL. There is no SCORM package, no LMS required, and no upload process. You share the link; the learner opens the course in a browser.
Easygenerator tracks basic completion through its own dashboard when you use private links. You can see who opened the course and whether they finished it, without any LMS infrastructure.
Use private links for pilots, small team rollouts, external audiences who do not have access to your LMS, or any situation where you need to get content to learners quickly without package handling.
The limitation is tracking depth. Private link completion data stays in Easygenerator and does not flow into an LMS or LRS. For formal compliance or certification tracking, SCORM or xAPI are better.
All formats compared
Here is a side-by-side view of all five formats across the factors that affect your delivery decision.
| Format | Tracking depth | LMS required | Best-fit delivery | EG export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCORM 1.2 | Completion, score, time, pass/fail | Yes | Standard LMS delivery, broadest compatibility | Yes |
| SCORM 2004 | Completion, score, time, granular pass/fail, robust bookmarking | Yes | Modern LMSs needing detailed reporting | Yes |
| xAPI | Any learning activity, anywhere, including offline and informal | No (uses LRS) | Multi-platform, mobile, informal learning ecosystems | Yes |
| PDF export | None | No | Reference material, offline reading, document workflows | Yes |
| Private link | Basic completion via Easygenerator dashboard | No | Pilots, small teams, external audiences, quick sharing | Yes |
Which format should you use? A decision framework
Use this table to match your delivery scenario to the right format.
| Scenario | Best format | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Formal course delivered through your LMS | SCORM 1.2 | Near-universal LMS compatibility, reliable completion and score tracking |
| Formal course on a modern LMS with detailed reporting needs | SCORM 2004 | Richer tracking data including granular pass/fail and robust bookmarking |
| Learning that happens outside a formal course (mobile, job aids, simulations) | xAPI | Tracks any activity without requiring an LMS; data goes to an LRS |
| Reference document or resource to download and keep | No infrastructure needed; works offline and in document management systems | |
| Pilot, small team rollout, or external audience with no LMS | Private link | Publish instantly with no package handling; basic completion tracked in Easygenerator |
| Course published to an LXP or modern learning platform | xAPI or SCORM 1.2 | Check whether the platform uses an LRS (xAPI) or expects a SCORM package |
How Easygenerator handles all of these
Easygenerator exports in SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI from the same authoring environment. PDF export and private link publishing are also available from the same Publish menu. You build a course once and choose the format that fits your delivery context, without rebuilding or switching tools.
For organizations publishing to multiple platforms or regions, this matters. A compliance course going to your LMS can be exported as SCORM 1.2. The same course going to a regional LXP with an LRS can be exported as xAPI. A quick reference guide for a contractor can go out as a private link.
For a full guide to SCORM publishing options including manual and dynamic SCORM, see manual vs dynamic SCORM: how to export a SCORM package and choose the right method.
