CIF dictionaries define the data names and structures used across the Crystallographic Information Framework. They provide the reference definitions that support data exchange, validation, and interpretation across crystallographic software and publications.
This page is the main gateway to published CIF dictionaries and related resources.
Online dictionary service
The online dictionary service provides browsable HTML views of CIF dictionaries, including DDLm, DDL2 and DDL1 formats. Use it to browse category trees and look up definitions interactively:
Search for CIF data names
To search for a specific CIF data name across the published dictionaries:
Key published dictionaries
The links below go to the key published CIF dictionaries. The Core CIF dictionary DDL1 version (v2.4.5) is the version in active use — virtually all published CIFs conform to this version. The latest DDLm version of the core dictionary is also available via the online service above, along with the common enumeration lists (templ_enum.cif) and attributes (templ_attr.cif) that are imported by DDLm dictionaries.
- Core CIF dictionary (DDL1 v2.4.5 — used in published CIFs)
- Core CIF dictinary (DDLm v3.3.0 — latest release)
- Restraints dictionary
- Powder CIF dictionary
- Modulated and composite structures dictionary
- Electron density dictionary
- Twinning dictionary
- Image CIF dictionary
- Symmetry CIF dictionary
- Magnetic CIF dictionary
- Topology CIF dictionary