Preservation

Linked Open Data for Software and Code Formats

Software comprises a set of instructions that instruct a computer to perform one or more tasks.

There are three general categories:

  • System software includes device drivers, operating systems (OSs), scripts, compilers, disk formatters, text editors and utilities helping the computer to operate.
  • Programming software is a set of tools to aid developers in writing programs.
  • Application software is intended to perform certain tasks. Examples of application software include office suites, gaming applications, database systems and educational software. Application software can be a single piece of code or a collection of programs

The significant properties of software and code records are documented in the Software and Code Preservation Plan, which can be used as test criteria for tools and processes used in format transformations. 

NARA makes its Linked Open Data available in Resource Description Framework Terse RDF Triple Language or RDF Turtle (.ttl files). These files can be opened in any text editor. The Digital Preservation Framework as Linked Open Data includes the same elements as are available in the version of the Preservation Plans on GitHub.

These plans are not exhaustive nor universally applicable proposed actions and recommended or endorsed tools: these represent file formats and variant versions in NARA holdings, the current NARA risk assessment, processing capabilities, and tools in use at NARA.

 

Format Name File Extension(s) Digital Preservation Framework Category/Categories NARA Format ID NARA Linked Open Data TTL
32-bit Portable Executable file pe|exe|dll|cpl|efi|ocx|scr|sys Software and Code NF00380 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00380.ttl
64-bit Portable Executable file pe|exe|dll|cpl|efi|ocx|scr|sys Software and Code NF00536 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00536.ttl
A86 assembler source code file a86 Software and Code NF00769 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00769.ttl
Adobe Localization File zdct Software and Code NF00537 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00537.ttl
Adobe Photoshop Duotone Options ado Software and Code NF00697 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00697.ttl
Adobe Type 1 PostScript Adobe Font Metrics or Print Font Metrics File pfm|afm Software and Code NF00538 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00538.ttl
Adobe Type 1 PostScript Printer Font Binary pfb Software and Code NF00386 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00386.ttl
Apple Macintosh Desktop Services Store DS_STORE Software and Code NF00110 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00110.ttl
ASP.NET HTTP Handler File axd Software and Code NF00735 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00735.ttl
Atari ST Self-extracting file archive tp Software and Code NF00773 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00773.ttl
Backup File bak|old|sb|bck Software and Code NF00734 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00734.ttl
Batch Script bat|cmd|btm Software and Code NF00134 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00134.ttl
Binary file bin Software and Code NF00135 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00135.ttl
BlackBerry Binary Executable cod Software and Code NF00702 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00702.ttl
C/C++/Objective-C Header File h|hpp|hxx Software and Code NF00732 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00732.ttl
C# Code cs Software and Code NF00138 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00138.ttl
Cascading Style Sheets 1.0 css Web Records|Software and Code NF00141 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00141.ttl
Cascading Style Sheets 2.0 css Web Records|Software and Code NF00543 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00543.ttl
Cascading Style Sheets 2.1 css Web Records|Software and Code NF00544 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00544.ttl
Cascading Style Sheets unspecified version css Web Records|Software and Code NF00651 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00651.ttl
Checksum File sum Software and Code NF00411 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00411.ttl
Cold Fusion Component File cfc Software and Code NF00545 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00545.ttl
Cold Fusion Markup Language cfm Software and Code NF00142 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00142.ttl
Command manual man Software and Code NF00725 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00725.ttl
Common Data Format Toolkit cdf Software and Code NF00144 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00144.ttl
Compressed Archive File arc Software and Code NF00111 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00111.ttl
Compressed ARX file archive arx Software and Code NF00774 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00774.ttl
Compressed Dynamic Link Library (DLL) dl_ Software and Code NF00691 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00691.ttl
Configuration File ini|conf|cnf|cfg|cf|config Software and Code NF00146 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00146.ttl
Custom Dictionary File dct|dic Software and Code NF00159 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00159.ttl
Data File dat Software and Code NF00151 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00151.ttl
Data List File lst Software and Code NF00710 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00710.ttl
Dictionary Lexicon File lex Software and Code NF00158 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00158.ttl
DVD Data Backup File bup Software and Code NF00166 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00166.ttl
DVD Data File dvd Software and Code NF00167 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00167.ttl
DVD Info File ifo Software and Code NF00168 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00168.ttl
Executable and Linkable Format 32-bit Big Endian o|elf Software and Code NF00758 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00758.ttl
Executable and Linkable Format 32-bit Little Endian o|elf Software and Code NF00759 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00759.ttl
Executable and Linkable Format 64-bit Big Endian o|elf Software and Code NF00760 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00760.ttl
Executable and Linkable Format 64-bit Little Endian o|elf Software and Code NF00761 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00761.ttl
Executable file exe Software and Code NF00182 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00182.ttl
Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) xfdl Web Records|Software and Code|Structured Data|Textual and Word Processing NF00686 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00686.ttl
eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language 1.0 xhtm|xhtml Web Records|Software and Code NF00185 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00185.ttl
eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language 1.1 xhtm|xhtml Web Records|Software and Code NF00186 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00186.ttl
eXtensible Markup Language 1.0 xml Web Records|Software and Code|Structured Data|Textual and Word Processing NF00187 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00187.ttl
eXtensible Markup Language 1.1 xml Web Records|Software and Code|Structured Data|Textual and Word Processing NF00561 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00561.ttl
eXtensible Markup Language Document Type Definition dtd Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00162 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00162.ttl
eXtensible Markup Language Schema xsd Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00188 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00188.ttl
eXtensible Markup Language unspecified version xml Web Records|Software and Code|Structured Data|Textual and Word Processing NF00654 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00654.ttl
eXtensible Style Language 1.0 xsl|xslt Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00190 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00190.ttl
eXtensible Style Language 2.0 xsl|xslt Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00562 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00562.ttl
eXtensible Style Language 3.0 xsl|xslt Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00563 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00563.ttl
eXtensible Style Language unspecified version xsl|xslt Web Records|Software and Code|Textual and Word Processing NF00850 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00850.ttl
Flash Local Shared Object (LSO) sol Software and Code NF00690 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00690.ttl
GZIP gz|tgz Software and Code NF00204 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00204.ttl
HTML Components htc Web Records|Software and Code NF00775 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00775.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 1.0 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00567 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00567.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 1.1 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00568 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00568.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 2.0 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00569 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00569.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 3.2 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00570 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00570.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 4.0 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00571 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00571.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 4.01 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00572 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00572.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 5 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00573 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00573.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 5.1 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00574 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00574.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language 5.2 htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00575 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00575.ttl
Hypertext Markup Language unspecified version htm|html Web Records|Software and Code NF00208 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00208.ttl
IBM Voice Type/ViaVoice Scripts Data 2|10 Software and Code NF00717 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00717.ttl
Include Header File inc Software and Code NF00708 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00708.ttl
Information or Setup File info Software and Code NF00211 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00211.ttl
InstallShield installer archive ex_ Software and Code NF00712 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00712.ttl
Java Archive File jar Software and Code NF00215 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00215.ttl
Java Class (Compiled Object Code) class Software and Code NF00576 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00576.ttl
Java Servlet Component do Software and Code NF00703 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00703.ttl
Java Source Code java Software and Code NF00216 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00216.ttl
JavaScript js Software and Code NF00217 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00217.ttl
Lock File lck|lock Software and Code NF00226 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00226.ttl
Log File log Software and Code NF00227 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00227.ttl
Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet Formatting file 3.0 fm3 Software and Code NF00776 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00776.ttl
Macromedia Flash 5 swf Digital Video|Software and Code|Web Records NF00580 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00580.ttl
Macromedia Flash 6 swf Digital Video|Software and Code|Web Records NF00242 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00242.ttl
Macromedia Flash 7 swf Digital Video|Software and Code|Web Records NF00243 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00243.ttl
Macromedia Flash project fla Digital Video|Software and Code NF00727 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00727.ttl
Macromedia Flash unspecified version swf Digital Video|Software and Code|Web Records NF00655 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00655.ttl
Memory Dump File dmp Software and Code NF00754 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00754.ttl
Microsoft Active Server Page asp Software and Code NF00257 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00257.ttl
Microsoft ASP.NET aspx Software and Code NF00583 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00583.ttl
Microsoft ASP.NET User Control File ascx Software and Code NF00731 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00731.ttl
Microsoft Compiled HTML Help chm Software and Code NF00700 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00700.ttl
Microsoft Dynamic Link Library dll|ocx|drv Software and Code NF00169 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00169.ttl
Microsoft Font File fon Software and Code NF00719 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00719.ttl
Microsoft FrontPage Binary Tree Index btr Software and Code NF00276 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00276.ttl
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extension Configuration File frontpg.ini|frontpg.cnf Software and Code NF00277 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00277.ttl
Microsoft FrontPage Server Extension Lock File frontpg.lck|service.lck Software and Code NF00584 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00584.ttl
Microsoft Office Personalized Settings File pip Software and Code NF00718 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00718.ttl
Microsoft OLE Compound Format ole Software and Code NF00343 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00343.ttl
Microsoft OLE2 Compound Format ole|ole2 Software and Code NF00585 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00585.ttl
Microsoft Type Library tlb Software and Code NF00737 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00737.ttl
Microsoft Windows PowerShell Data File psd1 Software and Code NF00387 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00387.ttl
Microsoft WinHelp hlp Software and Code NF00698 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00698.ttl
OpenType Font otf|ttf Software and Code NF00601 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00601.ttl
OS/2 Change Control File cin Software and Code NF00351 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00351.ttl
Perl Source Code Script pl Software and Code NF00685 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00685.ttl
PGP Encrypted File pgp Software and Code NF00357 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00357.ttl
PHP Script php Software and Code NF00358 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00358.ttl
Portable Executable unspecified version pe|efi|ocx|sys|apl Software and Code NF00847 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00847.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.0 pyc Software and Code NF00739 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00739.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.1 pyc Software and Code NF00740 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00740.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.2 pyc Software and Code NF00741 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00741.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.3 pyc Software and Code NF00742 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00742.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.4 pyc Software and Code NF00743 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00743.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.5 pyc Software and Code NF00744 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00744.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.6 pyc Software and Code NF00745 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00745.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 2.7 pyc Software and Code NF00746 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00746.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.0 pyc Software and Code NF00747 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00747.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.1 pyc Software and Code NF00748 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00748.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.2 pyc Software and Code NF00749 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00749.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.3 pyc Software and Code NF00750 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00750.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.4 pyc Software and Code NF00751 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00751.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.5 pyc Software and Code NF00752 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00752.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode 3.6 pyc Software and Code NF00753 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00753.ttl
Python Compiled Bytecode unspecified version pyc Software and Code NF00849 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00849.ttl
Python Source Code Script py Software and Code NF00389 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00389.ttl
Qt Linguist Compiled Translation Source File qm Software and Code NF00730 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00730.ttl
ROM Image rom Software and Code NF00736 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00736.ttl
Shared Object Library so Software and Code NF00724 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00724.ttl
Static Library a|lib Software and Code NF00199 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00199.ttl
Structured Query Language sql Software and Code|Databases NF00416 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00416.ttl
Tape Archive Format (TAR) tar Software and Code NF00423 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00423.ttl
Temp file tmp|temp Software and Code NF00424 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00424.ttl
TrueType Font ttf Software and Code NF00427 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00427.ttl
Uniform Resource Locator Shortcut File url Software and Code NF00430 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00430.ttl
Unspecified encrypted or encoded (.enc) file enc Software and Code NF00779 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00779.ttl
Verity Collection Index Descriptor File pdd|ddd|did|wld Software and Code NF00640 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00640.ttl
Visual FoxPro Class Library vcx Software and Code NF00621 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00621.ttl
Windows Autorun Configuration File autorun.inf Software and Code NF00440 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00440.ttl
Windows Cabinet File cab Software and Code NF00445 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00445.ttl
Windows Catalog File cat Software and Code NF00676 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00676.ttl
Windows Installer Package msi Software and Code NF00757 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00757.ttl
Windows New Executable file exe|dll|cpl|drv|scr Software and Code NF00449 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00449.ttl
Windows Precompiled Setup Information pnf Software and Code NF00711 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00711.ttl
Windows Program Database pdb|mks Software and Code NF00677 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00677.ttl
Windows Registry Files reg|dat Software and Code NF00630 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00630.ttl
Windows Setup Information File inf Software and Code NF00450 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00450.ttl
Windows Shortcut lnk Software and Code NF00451 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00451.ttl
WinHelp File Table of Contents cnt Software and Code NF00756 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00756.ttl
ZIP archive zip Software and Code NF00458 https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00458.ttl
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