The Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) is an emerging standard for the organization of neuroimaging data.

In this repository, we develop the BIDS specification.

When to use BIDS

To organize your data in BIDS, all you need is neuro data, a computer, and the BIDS specification.

BIDS currently supports the following data modalities with more to come in the future:

• MRI
• MEG
• EEG
• iEEG
• behavioral
• physiological
• PET
• microscopy
• NIRS
• motion
• MRS

Formatting your data with BIDS

As a dataset curator, the GitHub repository and all files therein can be safely ignored. Users should focus on the rendered content. The specification is provided in the form of a webpage, built using MkDocs and Read the Docs.

Want to learn more about working with BIDS? Have a question, comment, or suggestion?

1. Read some introductory material, most likely the very basic problems have already been addressed!

• BIDS Starter Kit for tutorials, wikis, templates, ...

2. Post your question in one of several channels where BIDS members are active

• see: BIDS communication channels

Contributing to BIDS

BIDS is a community-driven standard, and it depends on contributions from its members. We welcome new contributors, and we appreciate all contributions to the project!

For a current list of our contributors, please see our Contributors appendix.

When you're ready to get started, check out our contributing guidelines.

We ask that all contributions to BIDS across all project-related spaces (including but not limited to: GitHub, and the Google group; see BIDS communication channels) adhere to our code of conduct.

BIDS communication channels

Main communication channels

• "Issue" pages on the different GitHub repositories of the bids-standard GitHub organization, such as the BIDS specification repository, for reporting problems or making suggestions
• The NeuroStars Discourse forum, for asking usage questions
• The BrainHack Mattermost, for instant messaging (see also this news item)
• The Google group, for broader discussions and announcements surrounding BIDS
• The BIDS website "blog", similar to the Google group, for broader discussions and announcements

Social media channels

• X
• Mastodon
• Bluesky
• Youtube
• Instagram

Contributors

Thanks goes to these wonderful people.