HDF5 API Specification
HDF5 documents and links 
Introduction to HDF5 
HDF5 User Guide 
 And in this document, the HDF5 Reference Manual 
H5DS   H5IM   H5LT   H5PT   H5TB 
H5   H5A   H5D   H5E   H5F   H5G   H5I 
H5L   H5O   H5P   H5R   H5S   H5T   H5Z 
Tools   Datatypes   Fortran   Compatibility Macros 
Collective Calls in Parallel 
(Printable PDF of this Reference Manual) 

HDF5: API Specification
Reference Manual

The HDF5 library provides several interfaces, each of which provides the tools required to meet specific aspects of the HDF5 data-handling requirements.

High-level HDF5 APIs

The HDF5 Library includes several sets of convenience and standard-use APIs. The HDF5 Lite APIs are convenience functions designed to facilitate common HDF5 operations. The HDF5 Image, HDF5 Table and HDF5 Packet Table APIs implement standardized approaches to common use cases with the intention of improving interoperability.
  Lite      The H5LT API general higher-level functions
  Image   The H5IM API for images
  Table   The H5TB API for manipulating table datasets 
  Packet Table   The H5PT API for managing packet tables
(and the C++ H5PT wrappers)
  Dimension Scales   The H5DS API for managing dimension scales 
  Extensions   High-level HDF5 functions for working with region references, simple hyperslabs, and bitfields. 
       

Main HDF5 Library, or Low-level APIs

The main HDF5 Library includes all of the low-level APIs, providing user applications with fine-grain control of HDF5 functionality.
  Library Functions     The general-purpose H5 functions.
  Attribute Interface   The H5A API for attributes.
  Dataset Interface   The H5D API for manipulating scientific datasets.
  Error Interface   The H5E API for error handling.
  File Interface   The H5F API for accessing HDF5 files.
  Group Interface   The H5G API for creating physical groups of objects on disk.
  Identifier Interface   The H5I API for working with object identifiers.
  Link Interface   The H5L API for working with links.
  Object Interface   The H5O API for manipulating objects and reference counts.
  Property List Interface   The H5P API for manipulating object property lists.
  Reference Interface   The H5R API for references.
  Dataspace Interface   The H5S API for defining dataset dataspace.
  Datatype Interface   The H5T API for defining dataset element information.
  Filters and
  Compression Interface		   The H5Z API for inline data filters and data compression.
  Tools   Interactive tools for the examination of existing HDF5 files.
  Predefined Datatypes   Predefined datatypes in HDF5.
  HDF5 Fortran90 Flags,
  Datatypes, User Notes		   Flags and datatypes used in the HDF5 Fortran interface.
User notes for the HDF5 Fortran interface.
  API Compatibility
  Macros		   API compatibility macros provided in HDF5.
  Collective Calling
  Requirements		   Requirements for collective function calls and coordinated use
of properties in parallel HDF5 applications.

A PDF version of this HDF5 Reference Manual will be available from http://www.hdfgroup.org/HDF5/doc/PSandPDF/ approximately one week after each release.

The Fortran90 and C++ APIs to HDF5

 The HDF5 Library distribution includes FORTRAN90 and C++ APIs, which are described in the following documents.

Fortran90 API

Fortran90 APIs in the HDF5 Reference Manual: The HDF5 Reference Manual includes descriptions of the HDF5 Fortran90 APIs. Fortran subroutines exist in the H5, H5A, H5D, H5E, H5F, H5G, H5I, H5P, H5R, H5S, H5T, and H5Z interfaces and are described on those pages. In general, each Fortran subroutine performs exactly the same task as the corresponding C function, with which it is described.

HDF5 Fortran90 Flags, Datatypes and User’s Notes lists the flags employed in the Fortran90 interface, contains a pointer to the HDF5 Fortran90 datatypes, and includes the document HDF5 Fortran90 User's Notes.

HDF5 Fortran90 User’s Notes provides important information for users regarding the Fortran90 source code and the Fortran90 API.

C++ API HDF5 C++ Reference Manual provides a complete reference for the HDF5 C++ interface.

HDF5 documents and links 
Introduction to HDF5 
HDF5 User Guide 
 And in this document, the HDF5 Reference Manual 
H5DS   H5IM   H5LT   H5PT   H5TB 
H5   H5A   H5D   H5E   H5F   H5G   H5I 
H5L   H5O   H5P   H5R   H5S   H5T   H5Z 
Tools   Datatypes   Fortran   Compatibility Macros 
Collective Calls in Parallel 
(Printable PDF of this Reference Manual) 
The HDF Group Help Desk:
Describes HDF5 Release 1.8.7, targeted for May 2011.