H5Workbench vs HDFView
Feature-by-feature comparison of H5Workbench and HDFView, the two leading HDF5 viewers. Native vs Java, what each does today, and where each tool fits.
Snapshot: April 2026 — H5Workbench 1.4 vs HDFView 3.x
H5Workbench is a native desktop application for working with HDF5 files. It covers much of the same ground as HDFView — the long-standing reference viewer from The HDF Group — but with a modern UI, no Java dependency, and active development that responds to user feedback in days rather than years.
This page is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison. H5Workbench doesn’t yet match HDFView in every category, and we’re transparent about which ones. The roadmap at the bottom lists what’s coming next. If a missing feature matters to you, let us know — early adopters have direct input on priorities.
Where H5Workbench leads
No Java runtime required
H5Workbench is a native application — download, install, and run. No JRE dependency, no classpath issues, no IT approval for a Java installation.
Active, responsive development
Bug reports get a human response, not a ticket queue. H5Workbench ships fixes in days, not years. Early adopters shape the roadmap directly.
Modern desktop UI
Light and dark themes, theme-aware icons, dockable panels, true high-DPI support, and a native app bundle that looks and feels like software from this decade.
Image View improvements
100+ color presets, inversion, custom value range, draggable color legend, and pixel info on hover.
Spreadsheet improvements
Auto / Fixed / Scientific notation toggle, precision control, selection statistics (min/max/sum/avg), and color-mapped cell backgrounds.
Multi-dimensional viewing
X/Y axis mapping radio buttons for fast pivoting through rank-3+ datasets.
Full feature comparison
File Operations
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Open HDF5 files (read-only) | Yes | Yes |
| Open HDF5 files (read/write) | Yes | — |
| Multiple files open simultaneously H5Workbench opens additional windows via File > New Window. | Yes | Yes |
| Recent files list | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop open | Yes | Yes |
| Pluggable file format system | Yes | — |
File Compatibility
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Open HDF4 files | Yes | — |
| Open NetCDF3 files | Yes | — |
| Create new HDF5 files | Yes | — |
| Save / Save As | Yes | — |
| SWMR read access | Yes | — |
Tree Browser
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Hierarchical tree display | Yes | Yes |
| Search / filter by name | Yes | Yes |
| Copy HDF5 path | Yes | Yes |
| Expand / Collapse all | Yes | Yes |
| Context menu with view options | Yes | Yes |
| Find object with wildcards | Yes | Yes |
HDF5 Object Editing (Coming soon)
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Create new groups | Yes | — |
| Create new datasets | Yes | — |
| Create new links (hard / soft / external) | Yes | — |
| Rename objects | Yes | — |
| Delete objects | Yes | — |
| Cut / Copy / Paste objects | Yes | — |
| Edit dataset values | Yes | — |
| Create / edit attributes | Yes | — |
Metadata & Attributes
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| View object metadata (name, path, type, dims) | Yes | Yes |
| View datatype details (class, size, byte order, sign) | Yes | Yes |
| View compound member table | Yes | Yes |
| View enum value table | Yes | Yes |
| View attributes (name, type, shape, value) | Yes | Yes |
| Create new attributes | Yes | — |
| Edit attribute values | Yes | — |
| Delete attributes | Yes | — |
Spreadsheet / Table View
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Display numeric datasets in table | Yes | Yes |
| Display compound datasets | Yes | Yes |
Array members shown as {1, 2, 3} | Yes | Yes |
| Notation selection (Auto / Fixed / Scientific) | — | Yes |
| Precision control | — | Yes |
| Auto-size columns | Yes | Yes |
| Go To (row / col navigation) | Partial | Yes |
| Selection statistics (min/max/sum/avg) | — | Yes |
| Copy selection to clipboard | Yes | Yes |
| Export to CSV | Yes | Yes |
| Color-mapped cell backgrounds | — | Yes |
| Edit cell values | Yes | — |
| Data subsetting / slicing dialog | Yes | Yes |
| Bitmask / bit-extraction display | Yes | — |
| Transpose display | Yes | Yes |
Image View
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Color-mapped rendering of 2D data | Yes | Yes |
| 100+ color presets | — | Yes |
| Color inversion | — | Yes |
| Custom value range | Partial | Yes |
| Draggable / resizable color legend | — | Yes |
| Pan (Space + drag) | Yes | Yes |
| Scroll-wheel zoom | Yes | Yes |
| Fit to viewport | Yes | Yes |
| Actual size (1:1) | Yes | Yes |
| Pixel info on hover (coords + value) | Partial | Yes |
| Copy image to clipboard | Yes | Yes |
| Export as PNG / JPEG / BMP | Yes | Yes |
| Contrast / brightness adjustment | Yes | Yes |
| 8-bit indexed / 24-bit true color | Yes | — |
| Palette editing | Yes | — |
| Image rotation (90 / 180 / 270) | Yes | — |
Text View
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Display string datasets | Yes | Yes |
| Line wrapping toggle | — | Yes |
| Edit string data | Yes | — |
Multi-dimensional Data
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Dimension selection for rank > 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Slice index selection | Yes | Yes |
Charts & Plotting
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Histogram chart | Yes | — |
| Line plot | Yes | — |
| Chart from table selection | Yes | — |
Export & Conversion
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Export data to text file H5Workbench: CSV and Text. | Yes | Yes |
| Export data as binary (native / LE / BE) | Yes | Yes |
| Export image (PNG / JPEG / BMP / GIF) H5Workbench: PNG / JPEG / BMP. | Yes | Yes |
| Copy to clipboard | Yes | Yes |
| Image-to-HDF conversion | Yes | — |
| Math conversion (scale / offset) | Yes | — |
UI & Platform
| Feature | HDFView | H5Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Native look and feel HDFView requires a Java runtime. H5Workbench is a native application. | — | Yes |
| Light / Dark theme | — | Yes |
| Dockable panels HDFView: window cascade/tile. H5Workbench: Free floating windows or docked windows | Partial | Yes |
| High-DPI display support | Partial | Yes |
| Native Platform app bundle HDFView requires Java to be installed separately. | — | Yes |
| Plugin / extension system | Yes | — |
Coming next
H5Workbench is in active development. The categories below are currently in progress. Specific delivery dates aren't promised — the next paid release tier (v2.0) will be defined by reaching a wider feature set. While version 1.x may seem limited, it is very usable for viewing your data. The priority roadmap below has the major features that BlueQuartz Software is prioritizing.
Object creation
Create new groups, datasets, links, and committed datatypes.
Data editing
Edit cell values, create new attributes, edit and delete existing attributes.
Expanded image rendering
Image rotation (90 / 180 / 270), palette editing, and 8-bit indexed / 24-bit true-color modes.
Charts and plotting
Histograms and line plots generated directly from table selections.
Multiple files in one window
Open and compare multiple HDF5 files side by side.
Live file monitoring (SWMR)
Read files that are actively being written by other processes.
Legacy format support
HDF4 and NetCDF read.
Have a feature request? Email info@bluequartz.net.