What Is Data.gov and What Can You Do on the Site?

Updated

Data.gov is the official U.S. government open data portal, described on its homepage as "the home of the U.S. Government's open data." It aggregates data, tools, and resources you can use to conduct research, build web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more. As of the homepage listing, it reports 570,120 datasets available. It is the right starting point if you need federal datasets or want to find agency source code repositories; it is not a single dataset itself, but a catalog that points to data published across government.

What the site is designed to do

The site states its mission is to "unleash the power of government open data to inform decisions by the public and policymakers, drive innovation and economic activity, achieve agency missions, and strengthen the foundation of an open and transparent government."

In practical terms, that means Data.gov serves as a discovery layer: you search or browse, then follow links to the agency or catalog entry that actually hosts the data.

What you can do on Data.gov

  • Search and browse datasets. The homepage provides a search function and surfaces several browsing paths:
    • Most Viewed Datasets
    • Recently Added Datasets
    • Datasets by Organization
    • Geospatial data
  • Use the data for building things. The site explicitly lists research, web and mobile application development, and data visualization as intended uses.
  • Find federal source code. A dedicated Code Repository section lets you explore agency code repositories, track compliance status, and discover open source projects across the federal government.
  • Access supporting resources. Data Management & Governance, Data Tools, Data Incubator, Guidance, Case Studies & Examples, and Skills Development are all listed as resource areas.
  • Review catalog metrics. A Metrics section shows breakdowns of the type, age, and distribution of catalog.data.gov datasets. For top dataset page views, file downloads, and external link clicks by agency, the site points to data.gov/metrics.

The code repository section, explained

The homepage notes that the SHARE IT Act (Public Law 118-187) requires federal agencies to maintain source code repositories and make them publicly discoverable through Data.gov. The Code Repository area is where you can explore those agency repositories, check compliance status, and find open source projects. If your goal is finding government-built software rather than datasets, this is the section to start with.

How to get oriented quickly

  1. If you know what you want: use the search box on the homepage and enter your topic.
  2. If you are exploring: start from Most Viewed Datasets to see what others commonly use, or Recently Added Datasets to see what is new.
  3. If you need data from a specific agency: use Datasets by Organization.
  4. If your interest is location-based: go to the Geospatial entry.
  5. If you want code, not data: open the Code Repository section.

What to keep in mind

  • Data.gov is a catalog and discovery portal. The dataset pages you reach may be hosted by the publishing agency, so terms, formats, and update schedules can vary by source.
  • The dataset count (570,120) and the metrics timestamp (last updated Tue, 29 Sep 2026 05:00:33 GMT, as shown on the homepage) are point-in-time figures and will change.
  • The homepage does not state pricing or login requirements for using the catalog, so treat access conditions as something to confirm on the specific dataset or repository page you land on.

For background on the portal itself, the site provides an About Us page and a timeline.