Data format

Digital objects can be stored, edited, imported, exported or exchanged using data formats.

A data format determines how the data is structured, encoded and interpreted. Data formats can either only be generated and read by certain application programs or meet the requirements for universal use, such as PDF for documents.

Examples of data formats

  • Text: ASCII (.txt), RTF (.rtf), JSON
  • Pixel data (images): TIFF (.tiff), PDF (.pdf), GIF (.gif)
  • Vector data: SVG (.svg), PDF (.pdf)
  • Audio data: MP3 (.mp3)
  • Documents: PDF, Word (.docx), InDesign (.indd)

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Technical terms for D