The C library is the core implementation on which non-Java interfaces are built. It provides reliability, performance, and portability.

• To use C for working with NetCDF data.
• To apply the main information available in the NetCDF C Interface Guide.
• To exploit the strengths of the NetCDF C API:
  • Comprehensively tested: many tests are run when the NetCDF C library is installed from source.
  • Well supported: answers for many common support questions are readily available.
  • Mature: the C interface has many users on many platforms, enhancing its reliability and portability.
  • Well documented: the NetCDF C Interface Guide is complete, and reference documentation is maintained in Unix man-page form.
  • Useful with ncgen: from CDL, ncgen can generate C code needed to create the corresponding NetCDF file.

• Write a two-dimensional array of sample data and read data from this file.
• Write some variables with units attributes and coordinate dimensions and read data variables and attributes from this file.
• Write some four-dimensional variables using a record dimension and read from the variables from this file.
• Employ ncgen to generate the C code needed to create the corresponding NetCDF file from a CDL text file.