Unidata

Features of the netCDF-4 data model include:

• Multiple unlimited dimensions
• String type
• Additional numeric types
• Unicode names
• Groups for nested scopes
• User-defined compound types (portable structs)
• User-defined variable-length types for ragged arrays
• User-defined enumeration types for compact self-description

Performance benefits of the HDF5-based netCDF-4 format include:

• Per-variable compression
• Per-variable multidimensional tiling (chunking)
• Ample variable sizes
• Reader-Makes-Right conversion
• Efficient dynamic schema changes
• Parallel I/O

2009 Unidata NetCDF Workshop for Developers and Data Providers > Introduction to NetCDF-4