PAF File Documentation

Overview

Feature Value
File Extension .paf
Full Name Personal Ancestral File
Developer The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Type of Format Genealogy software file format
Primary Use Genealogy / Family history
Header Information Contains specific metadata about the file
Compression Not compressed
Character Encoding Typically ASCII or UTF-8
Data stored Individuals, families, sources, notes
MIME Type application/x-paf
Accessibility Readable by genealogy software that supports PAF format
File Structure Hierarchical database format
File Size Limit Depends on software version, older versions had limits
Encryption Not inherently supported
Legacy Status Discontinued, but files still accessible with compatible software
Interoperability Can be converted to other genealogy file formats
Update Mechanism No longer updated by the developer
Software Compatibility Compatible with certain genealogy software
External Links Support may be found in genealogy communities and forums
Open Format No, proprietary format of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints