AIDA (computing)

Infobox_Software
name = AIDA: Abstract Interfaces for Data Analysis



caption =
developer = FreeHEP
latest_release_version = 3.2.1
latest_release_date = October 2003
operating_system = Cross-platform
genre =
license = LGPL
website = [http://aida.freehep.org AIDA home page]

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

The goals of the AIDA project are to define abstract interfaces for common physics analysis objects, such as histograms, ntuples (or data trees), fitters, I/O etc. 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.

An additional benefit of AIDA is the specification of an XML representation format for data objects, which can be written and read by AIDA-compliant applications. AIDA implementations exist for C++, Java and Python. Conspicuously, the ROOT data analysis package, which dominates current analysis in experimental high-energy physics, does not support AIDA, which has resulted in reduced uptake of AIDA, despite its benefits.

See also

* Java Analysis Studio
* HippoDraw
* ROOT

External links

* [http://aida.freehep.org AIDA home page]
* [http://java.freehep.org/aidajni/index.html AIDA-JNI] — allows C++ programs to use any Java implementation of AIDA
* [http://java.freehep.org/jaida/index.html JAIDA] — a Java implementation of AIDA
* [http://paida.sourceforge.net/ PAIDA] — a pure Python implementation of AIDA
* [http://jas.freehep.org/jas3 Java Analysis Studio 3] — a Java-based data analysis system based on AIDA
* [http://www.slac.stanford.edu/grp/ek/hippodraw/ Hippodraw] — a C++-based data analysis system with a Python interface which supports AIDA objects