DLite C-API

DLite is a C implementation of the SINTEF Open Framework and Tools (SOFT), which is a set of concepts and tools for how to efficiently describe and work with scientific data.

All data in DLite is represented by an Instance, which is build on a simple data model. An Instance is identified by a unique UUID and have a set of named dimensions and properties. It is described by its Metadata. In the Metadata, each dimension is given a name and description (optional) and each property is given a name, type, shape (optional), unit (optional) and description (optional). The shape of a property refers to the named dimensions.

When an Instance is instantiated, you must suply a value to the named dimensions. The shape of the properties will be set according to that. This ensures that the shape of the properties are internally consistent.

A Metadata is also an Instance, and hence described by its meta-metadata. By default, DLite defines four levels of metadata; instance, metadata, metadata schema and basic metadata schema. The basic metadata schema describes itself, so no further meta levels are needed. The idea is if two different systems describes their data model in terms of the basic metadata schema, they can easily be made semantically interoperable.

DLite is licensed under the MIT license.