# ExifTool Metadata Reader and Writer for Images and Files

> ExifTool by Phil Harvey is a comprehensive Perl-based CLI tool for reading, writing, and editing metadata in over 400 file types. It extracts EXIF, IPTC, XMP, GPS, and maker note data from images, videos, audio, PDFs, and documents, making it the industry standard for metadata forensics and batch processing.

- Skill: `agentskillexchange/exiftool-metadata-reader-and-writer-for-images-and-files` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add agentskillexchange/exiftool-metadata-reader-and-writer-for-images-and-files`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/agentskillexchange/exiftool-metadata-reader-and-writer-for-images-and-files/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: agentskillexchange (https://skillmd.com/u/agentskillexchange)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/agentskillexchange/exiftool-metadata-reader-and-writer-for-images-and-files

---


# ExifTool Metadata Reader and Writer for Images and Files

ExifTool by Phil Harvey is a comprehensive Perl-based CLI tool for reading, writing, and editing metadata in over 400 file types. It extracts EXIF, IPTC, XMP, GPS, and maker note data from images, videos, audio, PDFs, and documents, making it the industry standard for metadata forensics and batch processing.

## Installation

Use the upstream install or setup path that matches your environment:
- make
- make test
- make install

Requirements and caveats from upstream:
- Requires Perl version 5.004 or later. No other special libraries are

Basic usage or getting-started notes:
- The exiftool script can be run right away without the need to install
- Image::ExifTool. For example, from within the exiftool directory you can
- 'exiftool' to 'exiftool.pl' to run it directly from the command line.

- Source: https://github.com/exiftool/exiftool
- Extracted from upstream docs: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/exiftool/exiftool/HEAD/README

## Source

- [Agent Skill Exchange](https://agentskillexchange.com/skills/exiftool-metadata-reader-writer-images-files/)