.. _FEATURES_OF_BARCODING_AND_METABARCODING: 

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Choosing a workflow
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DNA Barcoding and Metabarcoding workflows
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The first fundamental choice made by the user is whether to use the **DNA Barcoding** or **Metabarcoding** workflow. Users assessing single specimens will use **DNA Barcoding** and users assessing bulk samples will use **Metabarcoding**.

Each workflow follows a similar sequence and ends with bioinformatic analysis, though there are major notable differences:

	* The **DNA Barcoding** workflow (Standard and Advanced mode) provides steps to Prepare, Implement, and Analyze. **Metabarcoding** only provides Prepare and Analyze steps, leaving Implement (the benchwork needed for sequencing preparation) to the user.
	* **DNA Barcoding** allows users to upload Specimen Images (individuals) and Array Images (bulk specimens) in Standard and Advanced modes to accompany DNA barcode sequence data.
	* In Standard and Advanced mode, **DNA Barcoding** provides materials and explicit instructions for specimen preparation prior to sequencing (i.e., the 'Implement' stage). For the **Metabarcoding** Workflow (and **DNA Barcoding** "Custom mode"), ONTOLOGY provides general guides to Implement (available on **Show Implement** button on the left hand side) and the user must follow their own laboratory preparation protocol using reagents appropriate for their study.