What institutions usually need to know first.

Yes. Instructors discover and manage both types from the same course placement, with the same policy model and student launch path.

No. Safe Exam Browser is the open-source lockdown client. Safe Online Exam is the Canvas-side integration that manages configuration, launch, proof, and administration.

Yes. Instructors can add named exam tools and limit each tool to the exact page or site the assessment requires.

The code is filled into the Canvas prompt only after SEB proves the approved configuration is running. It is not distributed as an instruction for students to copy.

Yes. Certificate encryption is the stronger default for managed devices. An institution that cannot distribute the private identity can explicitly use compatibility mode while retaining Config Key proof, one-time grants, URL filtering, the Canvas handoff, and SEB lockdown policy.

The product targets current Safe Exam Browser releases on macOS and Windows. Device policy and acceptance testing should pin the versions your institution supports.

Run the Safe Online Exam setup check on the device they will use. It verifies the browser, configuration flow, connectivity, storage, and Config Key proof without releasing a real assessment code.

Safe Online Exam is source-available under PolyForm Noncommercial. Safe Exam Browser is the separate open-source client maintained by the SEB project.

Use managed hosting or self-host the released Cloud Run or Docker Compose package. Both paths provide the same product capabilities.

Managed hosting is priced by institutional quote based on implementation, operating, and support needs. It is not a feature-gated per-exam tier.

PostgreSQL 17 stores assessments, courses, Canvas OAuth grants, sessions, transient state, operation locks, and administrator records. Expired rows are removed through a bounded cleanup job.