BagIt

Latest revision as of 13:33, 10 February 2025

BagIt is a container format defined in an Internet Draft: https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-kunze-bagit-12 . BagIt is a hierarchical file packaging format designed for storage and transfer of arbitrary digital content. A bag consists of a "payload" and "tags". The payload is treated as opaque; the tags are metadata files intended to document the payload contents and transfer of the bag. A bag must contain at least one 'manifest' file that lists the payload files and checksums using a declared algorithm. Optionally, additional metadata can be stored in tag and info files following naming and syntax rules in the specification. For transfer, a BagIt structure is typically packed into a ZIP or .tar.gz file (Tape Archive + gzip). The Mailbag spec (under development as of 2021) is an extension of BagIt.

[edit] Spec

• RFC 8493

[edit] Software

• BagIt File Packaging Format Has links to several software tools and libraries.
• fondz: generate archival description from bags
• copy / bag / validate utility

[edit] References

• BagIt File Packaging Format From CDL (California Digital Library), University of California.
• The BagIt File Packaging Format (V0.97) (Internet draft, rev 12)
• The BagIt File Packaging Format (V0.97) (Internet draft, rev 11)
• The BagIt File Packaging Format (V0.97) (Internet draft, rev 10)
• The BagIt File Packaging Format (V0.97) (old copy at Library of Congress, rev 7)
• Wikipedia article
• Unexpected errors in the BagIt area - Detailed advice on how to approach testing your Bags.