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GDAL-DATASET-IDENTIFY(1) GDAL GDAL-DATASET-IDENTIFY(1)

NAME

gdal-dataset-identify - Identify driver opening dataset(s)

Added in version 3.12.

gdal manage-dataset identify reports the name of drivers that can open one or several dataset(s).

SYNOPSIS

Usage: gdal dataset identify [OPTIONS] <FILENAME>
Identify driver opening dataset(s).
Positional arguments:


  --filename <FILENAME>                                File or directory name [may be repeated] [required]
Common Options:


  -h, --help                                           Display help message and exit


  --json-usage                                         Display usage as JSON document and exit


  --config <KEY>=<VALUE>                               Configuration option [may be repeated]


  -q, --quiet                                          Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:


  -f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>  Output format. OUTPUT-FORMAT=json|text


  -r, --recursive                                      Recursively scan files/folders for datasets


  --force-recursive                                    Recursively scan folders for datasets, forcing recursion in folders recognized as valid formats


  --report-failures                                    Report failures if file type is unidentified


OPTIONS

Any file name or directory name. Required. May be repeated

Which output format to use. Default is JSON, or text when invoked from command line.

Recursively scan files/folders for datasets.

Recursively scan folders for datasets, forcing recursion in folders recognized as valid formats.

Report failures if file type is unidentified.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Identifying a single file

$ gdal dataset identify --of=text NE1_50M_SR_W.tif
NE1_50M_SR_W.tif: GTiff


Example 2: Identifying a single file with JSON output

$ gdal dataset identify NE1_50M_SR_W.tif



[


   {


     "name": "NE1_50M_SR_W.tif",


     "driver": "GTiff"


   }
]


Example 3: Recursive mode will scan subfolders and report the data format

$ gdal dataset identify --of=text -r 50m_raster/
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m.jpg: JPEG
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m.png: PNG
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m_20pct.tif: GTiff
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m_band1.tif: GTiff
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m_print.png: PNG
NE1_50M_SR_W/NE1_50M_SR_W.aux: HFA
NE1_50M_SR_W/NE1_50M_SR_W.tif: GTiff
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m_sub.tif: GTiff
NE1_50M_SR_W/ne1_50m_sub2.tif: GTiff




AUTHOR

Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>

COPYRIGHT

1998-2025

November 7, 2025