Gas barrier coatings and gas barrier films are used in displays and so forth. Described gas barrier coatings are excellent not only in gas barrier properties but oxidation resistance, transparency and flexibility. A gas barrier coating is based on silicon nitride, and includes: a N/Si compositional ratio of 1 to 1.4; and a hydrogen content of 10 to 30 atomic percent. A peak of an absorption caused by Si—H stretching vibration occurs at a wavenumber ranging from 2170 to 2200 cm−1 in a Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrum of the coating, with a ratio [I(Si—H)/I(Si—N)] between a peak intensity I(Si—H) of the absorption caused by Si—H stretching vibration and a peak intensity I(Si—H) of an absorption caused by Si—N stretching vibration in the vicinity of 840 cm−1 being 0.03 to 0.15.