Formaatitien

Formaatitien is a taxonomy for classifying digital file formats used in information management and digital preservation discussions. The term functions as a brand-like label rather than a single format and is formed from formaatti, the Finnish word for format, with the genitive plural suffix -ien. In practice, Formaatitien is employed to discuss properties and compatibility of formats across domains such as libraries, archives, and software development.

The framework organizes formats in a multi-level scheme. Level 1 identifies broad categories: Text, Image, Audio, Video, and Data. Level 2 subgroupings distinguish subtypes such as plain text, markup languages, raster images, vector images, uncompressed and compressed audio, and container formats. Level 3 provides representative examples: Text (TXT, Markdown, HTML), Image (PNG, JPEG, SVG), Audio (MP3, FLAC, WAV), Video (MP4, WebM, AVI), Data (JSON, XML, CSV). A fourth axis covers technical properties, including readability, compression, licensing, openness, and preservation risk.

Applications include planning digital migrations, assessing interoperability, and guiding metadata strategy in repositories and publishing platforms. The taxonomy is intended as a common language for comparing formats and for documenting decisions about longevity and access.

Reception and status: Formaatitien remains a conceptual framework rather than a formal standard. It is used in academic and professional discussions and is often supplemented by established standards such as PRONOM, PREMIS, and open-data schemas. Critics argue that it can be overly broad or duplicative of existing schemas, while proponents value its integrative perspective.

See also: File format, Digital preservation, PRONOM, PREMIS.