metadata

Metadata is data that describes other data, recording properties such as a resource’s name, origin, format, and structure.

Computing systems rely on it at every level. A file system stores each file’s name, size, permissions, and timestamps apart from its contents. Digital photos carry exchangeable image file format (EXIF) records of camera settings, databases keep catalogs listing their tables and column types, and web pages declare a title and text encoding in tags that search engines read.

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) distinguishes three main types of metadata:

  • Descriptive metadata: Identifies a resource for discovery, such as its title, author, and keywords.
  • Structural metadata: Records how the parts of a resource fit together, like pages forming chapters in a book.
  • Administrative metadata: Helps manage a resource, including its file type, creation date, and permissions.

Python exposes metadata throughout the language. Every function carries attributes such as __name__ and its docstring, and every installed package ships a metadata file that records its name and version, along with details such as dependencies and license terms.

Python 3 "pathlib" Module: Taming The Filesystem

Tutorial

Python's pathlib Module: Taming the File System

Python's pathlib module enables you to handle file and folder paths in a modern way. This built-in module provides intuitive semantics that work the same way on different operating systems. In this tutorial, you'll get to know pathlib and explore common tasks when interacting with paths.

intermediate python stdlib

For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:

By Martin Breuss • Updated Sept. 7, 2026
Computer Science Glossary Share Feedback