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

NAME

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

Added in version 3.12.


gdal 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

--filename <FILENAME>
Any file name or directory name. Required. May be repeated

-f, --of, --format, --output-format json|text
Which output format to use. Default is JSON, or text when
invoked from command line.

-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.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Identifying a single file

$ gdal dataset identify NE1_50M_SR_W.tif

NE1_50M_SR_W.tif: GTiff

Example 2: Identifying a single file with JSON output

$ gdal dataset identify --of=JSON 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 -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

1998-2026

March 20, 2026 GDAL-DATASET-IDENTIFY(1)