In computing, metadata refers to data that provides information about other data. In simpler terms, metadata is a form of data that describes and gives information about other data. It’s essentially data about data. Metadata has various purposes and is structured by a set of attributes or elements necessary to describe a data object adequately.
For instance, a digital image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, when the image was created, and other data. A text document’s metadata may contain information about how long the document is, who the author is, when the document was written, and a short summary of the document.
There are two types of metadata:
- Structural Metadata: It’s data about the containers of data. It describes the types, versions, relationships, and other characteristics of digital materials.
- Descriptive Metadata: It’s used for discovery and identification. It includes elements such as title, abstract, author, and keywords.
Metadata plays a crucial role in managing and organizing electronic resources, improving the precision and efficacy of digital content searching. It also helps in the archival preservation and digital asset management process by providing historical context and pertinent details about the assets.