File extension

.dae

COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange

.dae files are COLLADA (COLLAborative Design Activity) documents: an XML-based 3D asset exchange format maintained by the Khronos Group.

Known meanings

Formats and reference material for .dae

COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange

XML-based 3D scene and asset interchange format from Khronos

  • 3d-graphics game-files
  • Khronos Group
Open link

Details

Format notes

DAE

COLLADA is an XML-based interchange format for 3D assets, with .dae (Digital Asset Exchange) as its file extension. It was originally created by Sony Computer Entertainment and is now managed by the Khronos Group. Its goal is to let content creation tools, game engines and viewers exchange assets without a proprietary format. It has also been published as ISO/PAS 17506.

Structure

A COLLADA document is a single XML file whose root element is <COLLADA>. It holds libraries of elements such as geometries, materials, effects, images, cameras, lights, controllers (skinning and morphing) and animations, along with visual scenes that arrange them in a node hierarchy. Physics scenes are also supported. Versions 1.4.1 and 1.5.0 are the most widely seen. Textures are normally referenced as external image files, so a model may depend on files beside the .dae; archive-based packaging (.zae) exists for bundling them.

Adoption And Tooling

COLLADA is supported by Blender, Autodesk tools, SketchUp, Assimp, Unity and many other applications and libraries, and was used for Google Earth models. Newer work has shifted to glTF, also from Khronos, which targets efficient runtime delivery, while COLLADA remains common for older assets and interchange between digital content creation tools. Exporter quality varies, so check units, axis orientation and materials after a transfer.

Preservation And Security Notes

The format is open and human-readable XML, which helps long-term access. Keep referenced textures with the file. As with any XML input, parsers handling untrusted files should disable external entity resolution.

Further Reading

  • COLLADA overview (Khronos): https://www.khronos.org/collada/
  • COLLADA 1.5.0 specification (PDF): https://www.khronos.org/files/collada_spec_1_5.pdf