Doccano is an open-source text annotation tool designed to seamlessly assist in creating labeled data for a plethora of tasks such as sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, and text summarization. With its collaborative and user-friendly interface, you can build datasets in mere hours! This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and using Doccano effectively.
Getting Started with Doccano
To get started with Doccano, you have three primary options for installation:
- pip (Python 3.8+)
- Docker
- Docker Compose
Installing Doccano Using pip
Follow these steps to install Doccano using pip:
pip install doccano
pip install doccano[postgresql] # Optional for PostgreSQL
By default, Doccano uses SQLite 3 for the database. If you prefer PostgreSQL, ensure you set the DATABASE_URL environment variable based on your PostgreSQL credentials. Once installed, initialize the database and start the web server with the following commands:
doccano init
doccano createuser --username admin --password pass
doccano webserver --port 8000
In another terminal, run:
doccano task
Now, access Doccano by navigating to http://127.0.0.1:8000.
Installing Doccano Using Docker
If you prefer Docker, follow these steps:
docker pull doccano/doccano
docker container create --name doccano -e ADMIN_USERNAME=admin -e ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com -e ADMIN_PASSWORD=password -v doccano-db:data -p 8000:8000 doccano/doccano
docker container start doccano
Access Doccano again at http://127.0.0.1:8000. To stop the container, use:
docker container stop doccano -t 5
Installing Doccano Using Docker Compose
For Docker Compose:
git clone https://github.com/doccano/doccano.git
cd doccano
Ensure you set up your .env file with the necessary configurations and run:
docker-compose -f docker/docker-compose.prod.yml --env-file .env up
Access Doccano at http://127.0.0.1.
Understanding Doccano’s Features
Doccano offers a variety of features:
- Collaborative annotation
- Multi-language support
- Mobile support
- Emoji support
- Dark theme
- RESTful API
Troubleshooting and Support
If you run into any issues during setup or operation, here are some common troubleshooting tips:
- Check Dependencies: Ensure all required packages and dependencies are correctly installed.
- Database Setup: Verify your database configurations, especially after modifying the DATABASE_URL.
- Container Issues: If the Docker container fails to start, ensure no other services are using port 8000.
- Network Problems: Ensure your network settings allow Docker to access the internet.
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Wrap Up
Doccano is an invaluable tool for text annotation, enabling teams to expedite their data labeling tasks. Its flexibility and collaborative features make it a perfect fit for diverse projects.
At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.