NDP Dataset Details

Get comprehensive metadata and resource information for a specific dataset.

This command provides access to detailed dataset metadata through the NDP MCP.

Available MCP Tool

get_dataset_details

Retrieves complete information for a specific dataset:

Parameters:

• dataset_identifier (required): The dataset ID or name
  • ID: Unique identifier (e.g., "a1b2c3d4-5678-90ef-ghij-klmnopqrstuv")
  • Name: Human-readable name (e.g., "noaa-climate-temp-2023")
• identifier_type (optional): Type of identifier
  • 'id' (default) - Use when providing dataset ID
  • 'name' - Use when providing dataset name/slug
• server (optional): Server to query
  • 'global' (default) - Global NDP server
  • 'local' - Local/institutional server

Returns: Comprehensive dataset information including:

• Metadata: Title, description, organization, tags, license
• Resources: All files/URLs with formats, sizes, descriptions
• Temporal Info: Creation date, last modified, temporal coverage
• Spatial Info: Geographic coverage (if applicable)
• Contact Info: Author, maintainer information
• Additional Fields: Custom metadata, processing info

Usage Patterns

After Dataset Search

"Get details for dataset ID 'climate-temps-2023'"

Uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="climate-temps-2023", identifier_type="id")

By Dataset Name

"Show me all information about the 'ocean-temperature-pacific' dataset"

Uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="ocean-temperature-pacific", identifier_type="name")

Resource Information

"What formats are available for this dataset?" (after finding it in search)

Uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="<from_search>")

Quality Assessment

"Review the metadata quality for dataset 'satellite-imagery-2024'"

Uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="satellite-imagery-2024", identifier_type="name")

Information Retrieved

Core Metadata

• Title: Dataset name
• Description: Detailed description with methodology
• Organization: Owner organization
• Tags: Keywords for discoverability
• License: Usage rights and restrictions

Resource Details

For each resource (file/URL):

• Format: File format (CSV, JSON, NetCDF, HDF5, etc.)
• URL: Download link
• Description: Resource-specific description
• Size: File size (if available)
• Created/Modified: Timestamps

Additional Information

• Author/Maintainer: Contact information
• Temporal Coverage: Date ranges
• Spatial Coverage: Geographic extent
• Version: Dataset version
• Related Datasets: Links to related data
• Processing Info: Data processing details

When to Use

1. After Search: Follow up on interesting datasets from search results
2. Before Download: Verify dataset contents and formats
3. Quality Review: Check metadata completeness for curation
4. Citation Info: Get complete information for proper attribution
5. Resource Selection: Choose specific files/formats from dataset
6. Metadata Validation: Assess dataset documentation quality

Workflow Integration

1. Search First: Use /ndp-search to find datasets
2. Get IDs: Note dataset IDs or names from search results
3. Retrieve Details: Use this command for complete information
4. Download: Use resource URLs from details for data access

Example Interactions

Example 1: Complete Dataset Review

User: "Get complete information for dataset ID 'abc123-climate'"
Claude uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="abc123-climate")
Result: Full metadata, all resources, download URLs, temporal/spatial coverage

Example 2: Resource Exploration

User: "What files are included in the NOAA temperature dataset?"
Claude uses:
  1. search_datasets(owner_org="NOAA", search_terms=["temperature"])
  2. get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="<id_from_search>")
Result: List of all resources with formats and descriptions

Example 3: Metadata Quality Check

User: "Review the documentation for this oceanographic dataset"
Claude uses: get_dataset_details(dataset_identifier="<provided_id>")
Analysis: Evaluates description, tags, resource documentation, contact info

Example 4: Multi-Dataset Comparison

User: "Compare the resources available in these three datasets"
Claude uses: get_dataset_details() for each dataset
Result: Side-by-side comparison of formats, sizes, documentation

Tips

• Use IDs when available: More reliable than names
• Check both servers: Same dataset name might exist on multiple servers
• Review all resources: Datasets often have multiple files/formats
• Note download URLs: Save resource URLs for data access
• Check temporal coverage: Ensure data covers your time period of interest
• Verify formats: Confirm file formats are compatible with your tools
• Read descriptions carefully: Important processing details often in descriptions