Metadata is what?

There are many databases. To understand what they are, you need to consider their contents. But there is one small useful detail - metadata. This is what generalizes all available information. Why were they developed and why are they used?

What is metadata?

It should be noted that there is no uniform formulation of this concept. So, the metadata is the general name of the information about the database. Basically, four notations of this term are used:

1. Can mean sub-channel information about the data used.
2. So the characteristics describing the essence are called. They are necessary to search, identify, evaluate and manage the values in the database. This is also called the important set of a certain number of structured descriptions provided in an acceptable form and available in an explicit form, so that you can find the required object. Such a formulation is used in cases where it is necessary to search for entities, resources and objects.
3. Data from a common formal system that describes the properties of a particular information store.
4. Information about the characteristics of the web page (when it was created, who is its author).

The difference between data and metadata

How are they distinguished? The fact is that it is usually impossible to make an unambiguous division. Why? Let's take a closer look at the example:

1. Something can act in both roles. For example, the title of an article can be viewed both as an element of metadata, and as information that is passed on to the reader.
2. The ability to change places. Suppose someone wrote a poem. It is data. The composer, based on the words, created a musical composition and attached this text. In this case, it becomes metadata. It all depends on the use. In general, such cases are possible because of the perception of a certain point of view on the basis of their judgments (here the namespace and frame of reference play a role).
3. The ability to create meta- ... -metadata based on the axiom of choice. This follows from the fact that almost any information can be created by its own system of characteristics.

Metadata of files in computers

They found their application in automated workflows. If some program is able to work with the content and structure of the data, then they can be transformed into another type of information, which allows to free users from a lot of inconvenient and routine actions. An example is the development, which allows you to view graphic images with different extensions. Also you can remember about various recordings of sound, films and many other things.

Metadata on the World Wide Web

On the Internet, they are used to search for necessary useful information among huge data sets. From this point of view, metadata that are created manually, are of great value because of their meaningfulness. As a type of information can act keywords, tags and a number of other elements. Metadata is what briefly tells about the site. When analyzing by the search engines several sites, if they reveal the same thematic words on them, then their mutual indication on each other will be more important than with conventional sites.

Classification of metadata

How are they distinguished? Basically, the classification is based on one of two principles:

1. Content. Metadata is used to describe a file, resource or its contents (for example, the title is "how to cook potatoes").
2. By belonging. Metadata can be used to inform about something the whole or its component. So, the title of the film refers to all of it, and the description of the episode informs only of a certain part.

If metadata is a collection of dependencies on the possibilities of logical inference, then in this case they are divided into 3 types:

1. "Raw" data. The basis of information support.
2. Metadata describing the content. They, in turn, are also used.
3. Metadata, with which you can make a logical conclusion.

These types of metadata exist.

Three most popular classes

We offer you to familiarize yourself with three classes that are now widely used:

1. Internal metadata. This is information that describes the components of things, their structure and what it is. An example is the size and format of the file.
2. Administrative metadata. Required for information processing processes, as well as for assigning things. For example, who is the author, the editor, when the file was created.
3. Descriptive metadata. They are used to characterize the nature of the file and its attributes (which category relates to what else is connected).

Metadata Format

So the standard is called, which is used to conduct a formal description of a certain category of resources (entities, objects and the like).
Usually there is a certain set in it that characterizes the object in question. To do this, you use attributes, properties, and metadata elements.
They are classified according to the scope and details of the resources described.

Possible problems

When can a metadata error occur? Lack of necessary information or restriction of access are the main reasons for the problems that arise. Also, a metadata load error occurs when there is a file, but it is corrupted. The main reasons for this state are three: wear of machinery, malicious effects of individual programs (usually computer viruses) and improper completion of work with the document, due to which the data was not preserved correctly.

Accordingly, the importance of metadata in the classification and systematization of network information can not be overemphasized. Therefore, those who wish to optimize their own website simply need knowledge about them.