DataCite
DOIs for data — the identifier registry that makes datasets citable.
At a Glance
- Publisher
- DataCite (a nonprofit)
- Coverage
Metadata for tens of millions of research datasets, software, and other outputs assigned DataCite DOIs, with an open API and search (verify current counts).
- Access
Free to search and use metadata; open API and dumps.
- Free alternative
- It is free; OpenAIRE and Google Dataset Search sit on top of it.
- Regional
Global; the data counterpart to Crossref.
Our Take
DataCite is to research data what Crossref is to articles — the DOI registry and metadata backbone that makes datasets and software independently citable and findable, and that feeds tools like OpenAIRE and Google Dataset Search. For a researcher it’s infrastructure more than a destination, but DataCite Search is a clean way to find registered datasets, and the API is invaluable for data-citation and reuse analysis. Use it to find citable datasets and to build data-metadata pipelines; it’s the upstream source when a dataset DOI needs resolving.
Power Tips
- Use DataCite Search to find datasets by DOI, creator, or repository.
- Build on the API for data-citation and reuse studies.
- Cite the dataset DOI it registers so your data is counted and findable.
Alternatives & Complements
Crossref, OpenAIRE, Google Dataset Search, re3data
Figures last verified: June 15, 2026