# AIDA (computing)

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Set of defined interfaces and formats for representing common data analysis objects

This article is about data analysis interface definitions. For other computing topics, see [Aida (disambiguation)](/source/Aida_(disambiguation)).

AIDA: Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis Developers Researchers from CERN, LAL, SLAC Stable release 3.2.1 / October 2003; 22 years ago (2003-10) Operating system Cross-platform License LGPL Website AIDA home page

**Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis** (**AIDA**) is a set of defined interfaces and formats for representing common [data analysis](/source/Data_analysis) objects. The project was instigated and is primarily used by researchers in high-energy [particle physics](/source/Particle_physics).[1]

## History

The goals of the AIDA project were to define [abstract interfaces](/source/Abstraction_layer) for common physics analysis objects, such as [histograms](/source/Histograms), [ntuples](/source/Ntuple) (or [data trees](/source/Tree_(data_structure))), fitters, [I/O](/source/I%2FO) etc.[1] The importance of the interface concept is that a variety of different tools with different implementations can all support a uniform interface: this encourages modular design in data analysis packages and enables users to use their preferred implementation of a certain functionality without having to re-write existing code.[2]

An additional benefit of AIDA is the specification of an [XML](/source/XML) representation format for data objects, which can be written and read by AIDA-compliant applications. AIDA implementations exist for [C++](/source/C%2B%2B) ([OpenScientist](/source/OpenScientist)), [Java](/source/Java_(programming_language)) (Java Analysis Studio)[1] and [Python](/source/Python_(programming_language)). Usage of AIDA interfaces can be found in the [Geant4](/source/Geant4) examples.

As of 2011, the projects seems dormant, with last "recent news" on the project homepage dating from 2005.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) Barrand, G. (August 2002). ["Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis - Component Architecture for Data Analysis Tools"](https://inspirehep.net/files/46372766af1d9110f4dc7379aa98cce3). *CERN*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Pfeiffer, Andreas (July 2001). ["AIDA - Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis"](https://www.ge.infn.it/geant4/workshop2001/slides/pfeiffer.pdf) (PDF).

## External links

- [AIDA home page](http://aida.freehep.org)

- ["Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis - Component Architecture for Data Analysis Tools", G.Barrand, P.Binko, M.Donszelmann, A.Johnson, A.Pfeiffer](https://cds.cern.ch/record/519004/files/it-2001-013.pdf)

- ["AIDA - Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis, Andreas Pfeiffer", CERN/IT](https://www.ge.infn.it/geant4/workshop2001/slides/pfeiffer.pdf)

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