What is the ELP file format?
An .elp file is a project created with eXeLearning, the eLearning XHTML editor. eXeLearning is an open-source authoring tool that lets teachers build interactive, web-based lessons without writing markup by hand. The project began under New Zealand's Tertiary Education Commission around 2004 and was later modernized by Spain's INTEF and a wider community.
Despite the .elp extension, the file is a ZIP archive. Inside it must hold at least three members: content.data, content.xsd and contentv3.xml, along with any images, audio or video placed in the lesson. Because it is a ZIP, you can rename it to .zip and unpack it to inspect the parts.
The key thing to understand is that an .elp is an editable source file, not a finished page. A learner cannot double-click it to view the material; the project has to be opened in the editor or exported first.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAn .elp is a data/project file, not an executable, so opening it does not run code. Because it is a ZIP that can embed HTML, JavaScript and media, only open files from trusted sources, and extract with tools that guard against ZIP path-traversal. Legacy eXe versions are unmaintained, so prefer current eXeLearning builds for security patches.
Format details
in a nutshell- eCommerce Landing Page (Synthrone Crafter) - A document format from Synthrone Crafter storing e-commerce page content such as text, images and forms; it superseded the earlier .rpc format. This is the label FileInfo uses, but it is a minor, niche use of the extension.
- HotRecorder audio - Obsolete proprietary audio format once produced by HotRecorder for recording VoIP calls; no longer supported.
- Polhemus 3D location data - Motion/position data files associated with Polhemus 3D tracking and Neuroscan Curry workflows.
Programs that open ELP files
Windows3 apps
7-Zip
Open-source Rename the file to .zip (or open it directly) in 7-Zip to inspect content.data, contentv3.xml and the embedded media without eXeLearning. 
eXeLearning (offline editor)
Open-source Install the eXeLearning desktop editor, then choose File > Open and select your .elp project to edit its pages and iDevices.
eXe (legacy iteexe build)
Open-source Use the classic eXe/iteexe release to open older 2.x .elp files that rely on the contentv3.xml manifest. 
macOS2 apps
eXeLearning (offline editor)
Open-source Run the macOS build of eXeLearning and open the .elp from the File menu to keep editing the lesson. 
Linux2 apps
unzip
Open-source Run unzip project.elp -d project/ to extract the archive and read contentv3.xml directly.
eXeLearning (offline editor)
Open-source Install the Linux package (deb/rpm or the containerized build) and open the .elp via File > Open to edit it.
eXeLearning online
Open-source Use a hosted eXeLearning instance to import and edit an .elp in the browser without installing the desktop app. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Binary ZIP container wrapping UTF-8 XML |
| Container | ZIP (DEFLATE) |
| Compression | ZIP DEFLATE |
| Typical size | Tens of KB to several MB depending on embedded images and media |
| Structure | A ZIP archive that must contain at least three members: content.data (serialized project data), content.xsd (schema definition) and contentv3.xml (the content manifest). Embedded images, audio, video and other resources are stored alongside these files. |
| Integrity | ZIP per-entry CRC-32 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Notes | Renaming an .elp to .zip lets you unpack and inspect the project. It is an editable authoring source file, not a final publishable format; teachers export it to SCORM, IMS or HTML for delivery. Modern eXeLearning 3+ builds use a related .elpx variant with a content.xml manifest based on the ODE 2.0 specification. |
| Released | 2004 |
| Latest version | contentv3.xml schema (eXeLearning 2.x); newer projects use the .elpx variant |
| Specification | exelearning.net |
ELP conversions
Community Q&A
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