GEDCOM - technical definition

(GEnealogy Data COMmunications) A file format for genealogy data. Developed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, GEDCOM is a tag-based text format that all genealogy programs export for data exchange. There are also many proprietary tags in use. GEDCOM files are stored as ANSEL characters, which support the diacritical marks of foreign languages. See ANSEL character set.