This package implements `import()` and `export()` standard generics for importing and exporting biological data formats. `import()` supports whole-file as well as chunk-wise iterative import. The `import()` interface optionally provides a standard mechanism for 'lazy' access via `filter()` (on row or element-like components of the file resource), `select()` (on column-like components of the file resource) and `collect()`. The `import()` interface optionally provides transparent access to remote (e.g. via https) as well as local access. Developers can register a file extension, e.g., `.loom` for dispatch from character-based URIs to specific `import()` / `export()` methods based on classes representing file types, e.g., `LoomFile()`.