Hierarchical Data Format
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Hierarchical Data Format, commonly abbreviated HDF or HDF4, is a library and multi-object file format for the transfer of graphical and numerical data between computers created and maintained by the NCSA. The freely available HDF distribution consists of the library, command-line utilities, test suite source, Java interface, and the Java-based HDF Viewer (JHV).
HDF supports several different data models, including multidimensional arrays, raster images, and tables. Each defines a specific aggregate data type and provides an API for reading, writing, and organising the data and metadata. New data models can be added by the HDF developers or users.
HDF is self-describing, allowing an application to interpret the structure and contents of a file without any outside information.
One HDF file can hold a mixture of related objects which can be accessed as a group or as individual objects. Users can create their own grouping structures called "vgroups."
HDF files can be shared across most common platforms, including many workstations and high-performance computers. An HDF file created on one computer can be read on a different system without modification.
To address the shortcomings of HDF, an incompatible enhancement HDF5 was created, also by the NCSA, but it is not meant as a complete replacement.
See also
- Common Data Format (CDF)
- NetCDF
- FITS, a data format used in astronomy
- GRIB (GRIdded Binary), a data format used in meteorology
External links
- NCSA HDF home page (http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/)
- NCSA HDF5 home page (http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF5/)
- What is HDF5? (http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/whatishdf5.html)
- "An Introduction to Distributed Visualization" (http://www.xi-advies.nl/downloads/AnIntroductionToDistributedVisualization.pdf); section 4.2 contains a comparison of CDF, HDF, and netCDF.
- This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL.