RLE (cellular automata)

RLE is a format used for storing patterns of cellular automata. As the name suggests, it uses run-length encoding. It was designed by David Buckingham. The basic format is very simple, but different people have made their own modified versions of it over the years.

Identification
Standard, minimal RLE files will begin with ASCII "".

Specifications

 * Unofficial specification of the basic format

Software
RLE seems to be very widely-supported; therefore, a list of programs supporting it would almost amount to a list of all CA software.
 * Golly

Variants

 * Extended RLE, used by the program Golly
 * dbLife, used for David I. Bell's collection dbLifeLib
 * RLE3, an extension for storing 3-dimensional patterns (see the Golly changelog, "Changes in version 3.2 (released July 2018)")

Links

 * LifeWiki: Run Length Encoded
 * RLE at the Life Lexicon