MAT file format
| Extension | .mat |
| Category | images |
| Description | .mat (MATLAB File) The .mat format is associated with MATLAB, a high-level technical computing language and interactive environment for algorithm development, data visualization, data analysis, and numeric computation. MAT files are used to store variables created in MATLAB, including arrays, matrices, and other types of data. These files enable data to be easily shared between MATLAB sessions or with other applications that support the MAT-file format. |
| Technical details | The `.mat` file format, which is integral to MATLAB, is used to store variables such as arrays, matrices, and more. It has gone through various versions, with notable ones being Version 4, Version 7 (the default for MATLAB 7.0), and Version 7.3, which follows the HDF5 standard. MAT-files can handle different data types and offer compression starting from MATLAB 7, which helps optimize file size and loading times. Version 7.3, based on HDF5, is specifically designed for handling large variables. While primarily intended for MATLAB, MAT-files are compatible across different versions and can be accessed by other software through libraries. Their hierarchical structure is well-suited for complex datasets, making them essential in scientific, engineering, and data-intensive applications. File size and performance can vary based on data complexity and compression. |