The FIX Global Technical Committee (GTC) is proud to announce the availability of a FIX Orchestra XML file with every Extension Pack (EP) starting with EP255. The file follows Version 1.0 of the new FIX Technical Standard FIX Orchestra published in February 2020 (https://www.fixtrading.org/standards/fix-orchestra/). It is a metadata standard that defines all elements of a messaging application as well as the syntax for the rules that govern these elements. The term FIX Orchestra file stands for the physical representation of an electronic interface that follows the FIX Orchestra standard and uses the XML format.
Objective
The FIX Orchestra file published with every EP contains all FIX messages, components, repeating groups, fields and values (aka FIX Latest). It does not use any of the extended features of FIX Orchestra to define subsets, scenarios, workflows, etc. as it simply represents the complete repository.
The FIX Trading Community can use it as a central source and Golden Record of information for any of their FIX interfaces. It is intended for development and testing environments and to be consumed by applications generating artifacts such as specifications, source code and test cases.
Extension Pack Content
Every EP (https://www.fixtrading.org/extension-packs/) contains a number of individual files as follows:
- ASBUILT: PDF document with the Gap Analysis showing only the incremental extensions to FIX together with the newly assigned tag numbers and values
- NEW Orchestra: ZIP file with the representation of FIX Latest (complete application layer) using the new Technical Standard FIX Orchestra Version 1.0
- Repository: ZIP file with the two legacy representations of FIX Latest (complete application layer), i.e. basic repository and unified repository (aka FIX Repository 2010 Edition)
- FIXML Schema: ZIP file with a set of XML files representing the FIXML encoding of FIX Latest (complete application layer)
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the difference between the FIX Orchestra file published by FIX and FIX Orchestra files I exchange with counterparties to define our Rules of Engagement? | There is no difference in structure, i.e. both are based on the Technical Standard FIX Orchestra Version 1.0. The main differences are in the scope of the content and the number of Orchestra features used.
The FIX Orchestra file published by FIX as part of an EP does not use advanced features such as scenarios or workflows. These may be relevant when publishing an Orchestra file together with recommended practices having a narrow business focus. A FIX Orchestra file representing Rules of Engagement between two counterparties is only a small subset of the FIX Orchestra file published by FIX. However, it will contain additional elements such as user defined fields or values and may use advanced features to describe the desired behavior. |
| What is the difference between the FIX Orchestra file and the FIX Repository file published by FIX? | The content is identical in terms of the content, i.e. covering the complete application layer (FIX Latest). However, the structure of the files is quite different.
The FIX GTC has developed a tool to migrate an existing unified repository to a FIX Orchestra file. Please contact the FPL Program Office if you are looking into the transition to FIX Orchestra. |
| How long will the legacy representations of FIX Latest (basic and unified repository) be published alongside the new representation with FIX Orchestra? | The legacy representations of FIX Latest (basic and unified repository) will continue to be part of an EP as long as it is required to support existing applications in the community.
We encourage the community to get involved with FIX Orchestra to discover the benefits of a transition. The FIX GTC is also working on a number of tools making it easier to get started with FIX Orchestra, also if a FIX repository had not been used before. |
| Where can I learn how to use FIX Orchestra? | The documents describing the Technical Standard are available here. If you are a FIX member, you can join the FIX Orchestra Working Group to find out about available tools to get you started. The FIX Trading Community also has a number of public projects on GitHub. This also includes Orchestra tutorials. |