Zarr is an open standard for storing large multidimensional array data. It specifies a protocol and data format, and is designed to be "cloud ready" including random access, by dividing data into subsets referred to as chunks.[1][2] Zarr can be used within many programming languages, including Python, Java, JavaScript, C++ and Julia.[3] It has been used by organisations such as Google, Microsoft to publish large datasets.[4][5]
| Filename extension |
.zarr |
|---|---|
| Latest release | 3 |
| Type of format | Multidimensional array |
| Open format? | Yes |
| Free format? | Yes |
| Website | zarr |
Zarr is designed to support high-throughput distributed I/O on different storage systems, which is a common requirement in cloud computing. Multiple read operations can efficiently occur to a Zarr array in parallel, or multiple write operations in parallel.[6]
Format description
editThe main data format in Zarr is multidimensional arrays. For parallelisable access, these arrays are stored and accessed as a grid of so-called "chunks". The actual data format on disk depends on the compressor and storage plugins selected by the user.[6]
Zarr's design was influenced by that of HDF5, and so it includes similar features for metadata and grouping: arrays can be grouped into named hierarchies, and they can also be annotated with key-value metadata stored alongside the array.[6]
Applications
editFor bioimaging such as microscopy, a consortium called the Open Microscopy Environment (OME) created a format called "OME-Zarr", based on Zarr with some discipline-specific extensions.[7] Similarly, Zarr is being used to publish weather and satellite data [8] and energy data,[9] among others.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Zarr - chunked, compressed, N-dimensional arrays". zarr.dev. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "Cloud-Optimized Geospatial Formats Guide: Zarr". guide.cloudnativegeo.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "Zarr Implementations". github.com. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "Google Cloud: ERA5 data". cloud.google.com. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "Microsoft Planetary Computer: Reading Zarr Data". planetarycomputer.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ a b c "Zarr - Tutorial". zarr.readthedocs.io. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ Moore, Josh (2023). "OME-Zarr: a cloud-optimized bioimaging file format with international community support". Histochemistry and Cell Biology. 160 (3). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1007/s00418-023-02209-1. ISSN 1432-119X.
- ^ "Lazy loading: Making it easier to access vast datasets of weather & satellite data". openclimatefix.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ Sansal, Altay; Kainkaryam, Sribharath; Lasscock, Ben; Valenciano, Alejandro (2023). "MDIO: Open-source format for multidimensional energy data". The Leading Edge. 42 (7). Society of Exploration Geophysicists: 465–473. doi:10.1190/tle42070465.1. ISSN 1938-3789.
External links
edit
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