CRAM (file format)

CRAM is a compressed file format used to store genomic data, particularly sequencing data generated by technologies like next-generation sequencing (NGS). It is designed to provide efficient storage and transfer of large amounts of biological data, especially in the context of DNA sequencing. ### Key Features of CRAM: 1. **Compression**: CRAM employs various compression techniques to reduce the size of genomic data compared to other formats like SAM (Sequence Alignment Map) and BAM (Binary Alignment Map).