A manifest is a document that lists the cargo, passengers, and crew of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle, for the use of customs and other officials. It can also be used by people having an interest in the transport to ensure that passengers and cargo listed as having been placed on board the transport at the beginning of its passage continue to be on board when it arrives at its destination. The manifest can also be prepared for regulatory purposes, specifically the customs manifest which needs to be sent to customs when arriving in the first port in a country.
In addition to transportation, the term "manifest" can also refer to a document that is required by some carriers to streamline the pickup process, particularly when shipping out a high-volume of goods.
The term "manifest" can also be used as an adjective to describe something that is readily perceived by the senses, especially by sight. It can also be used as a verb meaning to make clear or evident to the eye or the understanding.
In computing, a manifest file is a file containing metadata for a group of accompanying files that are part of a set or coherent unit. For example, the files of a computer program may have a manifest describing the name, version number, license, and the constituent files of the program.
