Array Metadata

You can store high-level key-value data in an array by adding array metadata.

TileDB supports storing array metadata in the form of key-value pairs in each array. This metadata is stored in a directory called __meta inside the array directory, with all key and value binary data items serialized into a tile with GZIP compression. Those files are timestamped in the same manner as fragments for the same reasons (immutability, concurrent writes, and time traveling). In addition, TileDB Cloud indexes the metadata, enabling efficient global keyword search across all arrays, enhancing asset discoverability. Visit the Storage Format Spec section for more information about how TileDB stores array metadata on storage.