NetCDF

NetCDF (network Common Data Form) is a set of interfaces for array-oriented data access and a freely distributed collection of data access libraries for C, Fortran, C++, Java, and other languages. The netCDF libraries support a machine-independent format for representing scientific data. Together, the interfaces, libraries, and format support the creation, access, and sharing of scientific data.

To Access Resource:

Questions? Email Resource Support Contact:

  • Ward Fisher
    support-netcdf@unidata.ucar.edu
    UCAR/UCP - Unidata

Resource Type software
Temporal Range Begin N/A
Temporal Range End N/A
Temporal Resolution N/A
Bounding Box North Lat N/A
Bounding Box South Lat N/A
Bounding Box West Long N/A
Bounding Box East Long N/A
Spatial Representation N/A
Spatial Resolution N/A
Related Links

Documentation : Online user and API documentation

GitHub : GitHub repository of netCDF-C source code
Additional Information

NetCDF Data has the following characteristics. Self-Describing: A netCDF file includes information about the data it contains. Portable: A netCDF file can be accessed by computers with different ways of storing integers, characters, and floating-point numbers. Scalable: A small subset of a large dataset may be accessed efficiently. Appendable: Data may be appended to a properly structured netCDF file without copying the dataset or redefining its structure. Sharable: One writer and multiple readers may simultaneously access the same netCDF file. Archivable: Access to all earlier forms of netCDF data will be supported by current and future versions of the software.
Resource Format ZIP
Standardized Resource Format Archive
Asset Size N/A
Legal Constraints

netCDF Open Source License (MIT dervivative)

                                                                    https://github.com/Unidata/netcdf-c/blob/master/COPYRIGHT

Access Constraints None
Software Implementation Language C

Resource Support Name Ward Fisher
Resource Support Email support-netcdf@unidata.ucar.edu
Resource Support Organization UCAR/UCP - Unidata
Distributor UCAR/UCP - Unidata
Metadata Contact Name Ryan May
Metadata Contact Email rmay@ucar.edu
Metadata Contact Organization Unidata

Author Russel Rew
Ward Fisher
Glen Davis
Steven Emmerson
Cathy Cormack
John Caron
Robert Pincus
Ed Hartnett
Dennis Heimbigner
Lynton Appel
Publisher UCAR/UCP - Unidata
Publication Date 1989-01-01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) https://doi.org/10.5065/D6H70CW6
Alternate Identifier netCDF
netCDF-3
netCDF-4
Resource Version 4.6.1
Topic Category climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere
Progress onGoing
Metadata Date 2018-03-27T23:20:49
Metadata Record Identifier 4695c58c-cf95-4705-8bd9-d6b349388329
Metadata Language eng
Suggested Citation Russel Rew, Ward Fisher, Glen Davis, Steven Emmerson, Cathy Cormack, John Caron, Robert Pincus, Ed Hartnett, Dennis Heimbigner, Lynton Appel. (1989). NetCDF. 4.6.1. UCAR/UCP - Unidata. https://doi.org/10.5065/D6H70CW6. Accessed 31 October 2025.

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