MPEG-7 is a system that can be used to describe the characteristics and related information about digital media objects. The MPEG-7 system is an XML based language. The MPEG-7 system uses description definition language (DDL) to describe the characteristic objects using existing (standard) and custom created definitions. Some of the standard characteristics include shape, texture and motion.

Part 1 of MPEG-7 is an overview of the key tools that are needed to describe media objects in MPEG systems. Part 2 provides the description definition language (DDL) that defines the syntax of the MPEG descriptions and how to extend (create) custom description. Part 3 explains the tools that cover visual descriptions. Part 4 explains the tools that cover audio descriptions.

Part 5 defines how to develop multimedia descriptions for objects with generic features. Part 6 contains reference software that can be used to demonstrate and test MPEG-7 systems. Part 7 provides the processes that allow testing to ensure products and software meet the requirements of the MPEG-7 system. Part 8 covers the extraction and use of descriptions. Part 9 contains the profiles and levels for MPEG-7. Part 10 describes the structure (schema) of the description definition language (DDL).