The most accessible of any metadata in the Finder and apps, Finder tags can be ideal for classifying files and folders into no more than 7 categories. Here’s how they work.
extended attributes
Fixes one bug, and adds two new features. Can now autosave, to help you make workflows quicker and more reliable.
Version 1.3 adds drag and drop onto a document window, and a Scratchpad to store keywords that you use often. For 10.14.6 and later.
Why are some file metadata embedded in their main data, and others stored separately as extended attributes? How can I tell them apart?
The small stub files used as placeholders for files evicted to iCloud Drive have vanished. Could that be why some Macs had to download the whole contents of their iCloud Drive?
It can take many hours for files to be downloaded from iCloud. Apps must be able to cope with that, but how well does macOS?
Why can’t other Macs and devices see custom folder and file icons in iCloud Drive? Why do some suddenly vanish?
At first it looks like iCloud Drive preserves all xattrs, but actually it cheats and show those stored locally. It’s different when you access the same files from another Mac.
Two metadata editors, and an app to improve your privacy by cleaning metadata and more. Updated for High Sierra and later.
Where to look for file metadata in the Finder, and how you can customise it, in spite of its apparent confusion. And how APFS takes care of extended attributes for you.
The Eclectic Light Company 