{
  "status": "shipping",
  "supersedes": [],
  "supersededBy": [],
  "firstSeen": null,
  "lastSeen": null,
  "updated": "2026-10-17",
  "slug": "hdf5",
  "term": "HDF5",
  "aliases": [
    "Hierarchical Data Format version 5"
  ],
  "definition": "HDF5 is a data model, storage format and software library for organizing typed datasets, groups and associated metadata.",
  "note": "Data model: a dataset represents a typed multidimensional array; groups and links organize objects. Applications map their own record semantics onto these structures. The file format does not define what constitutes a complete scientific measurement. [h5-model]\n\nConcurrent access: SWMR supports one writer with readers following its access protocol; it is distinct from coordinated parallel HDF5. A coherent file is not evidence that every application-related dataset has reached the same update. [h5-lock]\n\nSchema example: H5MD defines relationships between step, time and value datasets for molecular data. This is an application convention, not evidence that a readable HDF5 file contains an atomically published measurement. [h5md-paper]",
  "related": [
    "hdf5-swmr",
    "file-storage",
    "application-consistent-snapshot"
  ],
  "advantages": [],
  "limitations": [],
  "citations": [
    {
      "id": "h5-lock",
      "title": "The HDF Group: File locking and superblock flags",
      "url": "https://support.hdfgroup.org/documentation/hdf5/latest/_file_lock.html",
      "accessed": "2026-10-17"
    },
    {
      "id": "h5-model",
      "title": "The HDF Group: HDF5 Data Model and File Structure",
      "url": "https://support.hdfgroup.org/documentation/hdf5/latest/_h5_d_m__u_g.html",
      "accessed": "2026-10-17"
    },
    {
      "id": "h5md-paper",
      "title": "de Buyl, Colberg and Hoefling: H5MD, arXiv:1308.6382v2 (2014), sections 2 and 3.4.1",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/html/1308.6382",
      "accessed": "2026-10-17"
    }
  ]
}