Incremental Transition to netCDF-4

16.5 Incremental Transition to netCDF-4

Using the netCDF-4 classic model API provides an easy transition to using netCDF-4 features.

Using netCDF-4 classic model supports:

access to all netCDF-3 classic netCDF functions and features
access to netCDF-4 performance features such as efficient schema additions, chunking, and compression
continued compatibility with third-party software that only supports netCDF-3 or netCDF-4 classic model formats

Upgrading to the netCDF-4 enhanced data model can be incremental, using only needed features:

strings instead of character arrays as a primitive type
unsigned integer primitive types
groups for large-granularity dataset complexity
compound types and variable-length types for small-granularity datatype complexity, recursive types