Data file
What is a .cdf file?
A .cdf file is a netCDF-3 Classic. This is a data file — structured information used by a program rather than read directly. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 5 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
5 different formats have claimed .cdf over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .cdf file
- Start with the program that produced it; that's almost always the right tool.
- Open it in a text editor to see whether it's readable text or binary.
- For database formats, DB Browser for SQLite or LibreOffice Base can often import it.
The registry records this extension against netCDF-3 Classic, netCDF-3 64-bit, Common Data Format dotCDF and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .cdf file
- If you can view the data, exporting to .csv is usually the most portable option.
MIME type
When a .cdf file travels over the web, servers label it with one of these MIME types:
application/netcdfapplication/x-netcdfThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .cdf.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| netCDF-3 Classic | — | application/netcdf, application/x-netcdf | fmt/282 |
| netCDF-3 64-bit | — | application/netcdf, application/x-netcdf | fmt/283 |
| Common Data Format dotCDF | 2.0-2.5 | — | fmt/1948 |
| Common Data Format dotCDF | 2.6-2.7 | — | fmt/1949 |
| Common Data Format dotCDF | 3.x | — | fmt/1950 |