baginfotxt

Baginfotxt, commonly referred to as bag-info.txt, is a metadata file used within the BagIt packaging format. It resides at the root of a BagIt bag and provides descriptive and provenance information about the bag and its contents. The file is plain text and uses a simple key-value syntax, with each line containing a field name, a colon, and a value. Continuation lines may be used by starting them with a space to allow multiline values.

The content of bag-info.txt is defined by the BagIt profile in use, and the keys describe various aspects of the bag such as its version, profile identifier, and descriptive metadata. Common fields include BagIt-Version, BagIt-Profile-Identifier, Tag-File-Charset, Created-By, Created-Date, Description, Contact-Name, Contact-Email, Organization, and Source-Organization. Profiles may mandate or recommend different fields depending on the intended use, organization, or domain.

Bag-info.txt is distinct from the bag’s data payload and from manifest files (such as manifest-sha256.txt) that list file checksums. Instead, it provides human- and machine-readable metadata to aid identification, provenance tracking, context, and management of the bag in processes like transfer, validation, and long-term preservation.

In practice, producers populate bag-info.txt when creating a BagIt bag, and downstream systems can parse it to display bag metadata, support routing or preservation actions, or verify conformance to a specific profile. The BagIt framework, including bag-info.txt and related manifests, is widely used in digital libraries, archives, and data repositories to support robust data transfer and long-term accessibility.