This chapter from the Digital Curation Manual, File Formats, begins with a conceptual framework for format and then goes on to discuss different aspects of format description, validation and characterization. It explains how format relates to the long term curation and usability of digital data and includes overviews of related projects and developments in the field as well as describing related available tools. The preservation strategies migration and emulation are discussed in terms of format and the development of automated systems in this area is also discussed. It includes extensive references.
