FAIRsharing

FAIRsharing is a curated, web-based portal that inter-links three primary registries: standards (reporting guidelines, terminology artifacts, data formats), data repositories (“databases and knowledgebases”), and data-policies (from journals, funders, institutions). It was founded to help the research community navigate the often fragmented landscape of standards and repositories, and to support implementation of the FAIR Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) for data. PMC+1

Who it serves & how

FAIRsharing is designed for a variety of stakeholders across the research data ecosystem:

• Researchers and data-producers: They can use the portal to identify appropriate repositories, databases or standards to deposit their data, or to comply with journal/funder requirements. 
• Standards-developers and repository-managers: These parties can register their standards or databases in FAIRsharing, enhancing visibility, citation and adoption outside their immediate domain. 
• Institutional librarians, policy-makers and data-managers: They may consult FAIRsharing to review recommended standards, monitor repository choices, and support data-management planning or training. 

Key features & value

• Centralised registry of standards & repositories: FAIRsharing provides searchable metadata for thousands of standards, repositories and data-policies spanning disciplines and geographies. 
• Links between resources: For example, a repository record may list the standards it implements, a standard record may show which databases use it. This helps users understand “who uses what”. 
• Educational and training materials: The site includes guides, resources and workshops designed to help users pick the right standards and repositories and to support FAIR data-management practices. 
• Persistent identifiers & citation support: Every FAIRsharing record is assigned a DOI or similar stable identifier, enabling citation and credit for standards or repositories. 
• Cross-disciplinary reach: Although initially focused on life sciences, FAIRsharing now serves many fields including engineering, humanities, social sciences and environmental science. 

Considerations

• Because FAIRsharing is broadly scoped, depth of coverage for some very niche domains may vary—users should still verify whether a standard or repository suits their exact data type or discipline.
• The utility of FAIRsharing critically depends on quality of metadata and curation—while substantial care is taken, the lifecycle of standards, repositories and policies is dynamic and evolving. 
• Using the registry effectively may require some familiarity with data-management concepts (e.g., what constitutes a “standard” vs a “repository” vs “policy”), so new users may benefit from training or guidance.