Proteomics data can be diverse and complex, and are typically produced on a large scale. To allow sharing and centralized storage and dissemination of such results, the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) Proteomics Standards Initiative (PSI) has created a set of community standards for the exchange of mass spectrometry and protein interaction data. We describe the origins and overall concepts behind these standards, as well as the individual efforts that are ongoing in the field of mass spectrometry proteomics and protein interactions.