What is MIME Types: Mimetypes of Popular Files

What isMIME Types: Mimetypes of Popular Files

Have you ever wondered how software recognizes different file and document types? Enter MIME types, the unsung heroes of data processing in the digital world. MIME, short for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, serves as an important label that software applications rely on to effectively distinguish and process various types of data. In essence, MIME types act like digital identifiers, guiding software on how to interpret and process the content it encounters. They define the nature and formatting of a wide range of digital assets, from simple text documents to complex multimedia files. Without MIME types, the digital environment would be like a library without cataloging - a jumble of data with no discernible structure. The journey of MIME types can be traced back to the rigorous standards set by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). RFC 6838 in particular stands as the cornerstone document that defined and standardized MIME types, ensuring interoperability and seamless data exchange between different software ecosystems. Let's now delve deeper into the fascinating world of MIME types by exploring the relationships between file extensions and their corresponding MIME types. Below is a list of common file extensions along with their MIME type equivalents, shedding light on the complex web of data classification and interpretation

 .txt (Text File): text/plain
.pdf (Portable Document Format): application/pdf
.docx (Microsoft Word Document): application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
.xlsx (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet): application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet
.jpg (JPEG Image): image/jpeg
.png (Portable Network Graphics): image/png
.mp3 (MP3 Audio): audio/mpeg
.mp4 (MP4 Video): video/mp4
.html (Hypertext Markup Language): text/html
.css (Cascading Style Sheets): text/css
.js (JavaScript): application/javascript
.py (Python Script): text/x-python
.java (Java Source Code): text/x-java-source
.c (C Source Code): text/x-c
.cpp (C++ Source Code): text/x-c++
.pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation): application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation
.zip (ZIP Archive): application/zip
.rar (RAR Archive): application/x-rar-compressed
.tar (Tape Archive): application/x-tar
.gz (Gzip Compressed Archive): application/gzip
.exe (Executable File): application/x-msdownload
.dll (Dynamic Link Library): application/octet-stream
.json (JSON File): application/json
.xml (XML File): application/xml
.svg (Scalable Vector Graphics): image/svg+xml
.gif (Graphics Interchange Format): image/gif
.bmp (Bitmap Image): image/bmp
.tif (Tagged Image File): image/tiff
.psd (Adobe Photoshop Document): image/vnd.adobe.photoshop
.ai (Adobe Illustrator Document): application/illustrator
.mov (QuickTime Movie): video/quicktime
.avi (Audio Video Interleave): video/x-msvideo
.wav (Waveform Audio File): audio/wav
.aac (Advanced Audio Coding): audio/aac
.flac (Free Lossless Audio Codec): audio/flac
.ogg (Ogg Vorbis Audio): audio/ogg
.m4a (MPEG-4 Audio): audio/mp4
.wma (Windows Media Audio): audio/x-ms-wma
.flv (Flash Video): video/x-flv
.mkv (Matroska Video): video/x-matroska
.wmv (Windows Media Video): video/x-ms-wmv
.3gp (3GPP Multimedia File): video/3gpp
.webm (WebM Video): video/webm
.doc (Microsoft Word Document): application/msword
.xls (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet): application/vnd.ms-excel
.ppt (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation): application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
.odt (OpenDocument Text Document): application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text
.ods (OpenDocument Spreadsheet): application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet
.odp (OpenDocument Presentation): application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation
.csv (Comma-Separated Values): text/csv
.rtf (Rich Text Format): application/rtf
.epub (Electronic Publication): application/epub+zip
.mobi (Mobipocket eBook): application/x-mobipocket-ebook
.apk (Android Package): application/vnd.android.package-archive
.ipa (iOS Application): application/octet-stream
.iso (Disc Image): application/x-iso9660-image
.torrent (BitTorrent File): application/x-bittorrent
.ps (PostScript): application/postscript
.dxf (Drawing Exchange Format): image/vnd.dxf
.dwg (AutoCAD Drawing): image/vnd.dwg
.rpm (RPM Package): application/x-rpm
.deb (Debian Package): application/x-debian-package
.key (Keynote Presentation): application/vnd.apple.keynote
.numbers (Numbers Spreadsheet): application/vnd.apple.numbers
.pages (Pages Document): application/vnd.apple.pages
.asc (ASCII Text): text/plain
.cfg (Configuration File): text/plain
.ini (Initialization File): text/plain
.bak (Backup File): application/octet-stream
.log (Log File): text/plain
.tmp (Temporary File): application/octet-stream
.sh (Shell Script): application/x-sh
.bat (Batch File): application/bat
.cmd (Windows Command Script): text/plain
.conf (Configuration File): text/plain
.crt (Certificate File): application/x-x509-ca-cert
.pem (Privacy Enhanced Mail): application/x-x509-ca-cert
.pfx (Personal Information Exchange): application/x-pkcs12
.csr (Certificate Signing Request): application/pkcs10
.key (Private Key): application/pkcs8
.pub (Public Key): application/pgp-keys
.der (DER Certificate): application/x-x509-ca-cert
.cer (Internet Security Certificate): application/pkix-cert
.jks (Java KeyStore): application/java-keystore
.keystore (KeyStore File): application/java-keystore
.jar (Java Archive): application/java-archive
.war (Web Archive): application/java-archive
.ear (Enterprise Archive): application/java-archive
.class (Java Class File): application/java-vm
.pyc (Python Compiled File): application/x-python-code
.obj (Object File): application/x-tgif
.lib (Library File): application/x-archive
.a (Archive File): application/x-archive
.so (Shared Library): application/x-sharedlib
.ko (Kernel Object): application/x-object
.o (Object File): application/x-object
.mod (Module File): application/module
.bin (Binary File): application/octet-stream
.img (Disk Image): application/octet-stream
.iso (ISO Disk Image): application/octet-stream
.xml (XML File): application/xml
.csv (Comma-Separated Values): text/csv
.yaml (YAML Ain't Markup Language): text/yaml
.html (Hypertext Markup Language): text/html
.css (Cascading Style Sheets): text/css
.scss (Sassy CSS): text/x-scss
.less (Less CSS): text/x-less
.jsx (JavaScript XML): text/jsx
.tsx (TypeScript XML): text/tsx
.php (Hypertext Preprocessor): application/x-httpd-php
.asp (Active Server Pages): text/asp
.aspx (Active Server Pages Extended): text/aspx
.jsp (JavaServer Pages): text/jsp
.cgi (Common Gateway Interface): text/cgi
.pl (Perl Script): application/x-perl
.rb (Ruby Script): text/x-ruby
.cs (C# Source Code): text/x-csharp
.vb (Visual Basic): text/x-vb
.swift (Swift Source Code): text/x-swift
.scala (Scala Source Code): text/x-scala
.groovy (Groovy Script): text/x-groovy
.go (Go Source Code): text/x-go
.rust (Rust Source Code): text/x-rust
.dart (Dart Source Code): application/dart
.coffee (CoffeeScript): text/coffeescript
.lua (Lua Script): text/x-lua
.sql (Structured Query Language): application/sql
.plsql (Procedural Language/SQL): application/sql
.tcl (Tool Command Language): text/x-tcl
.r (R Script): application/R
.jl (Julia Script): application/julia
.erl (Erlang Script): text/x-erlang
.hrl (Erlang Header): text/x-erlang
.ex (Elixir Script): text/x-elixir
.exs (Elixir Script): text/x-elixir
.rs (Rust Script): text/x-rust
.swift (Swift Script): text/x-swift
.asm (Assembly Language): text/x-asm
.s (Assembly Language): text/x-asm
.bat (Batch File): text/x-bat
.ps1 (PowerShell Script): text/x-powershell
.pl (Perl Script): text/x-perl
.sh (Shell Script): text/x-shellscript
.cmd (Command Script): text/x-cmd
.vbs (VBScript): text/vbs
.v (Verilog HDL): text/x-verilog
.vh (Verilog HDL): text/x-verilog
.vhd (VHDL Source Code): text/x-vhdl
.vhdl (VHDL Source Code): text/x-vhdl
.f (Fortran Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f90 (Fortran 90 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f95 (Fortran 95 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f03 (Fortran 2003 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f08 (Fortran 2008 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f77 (Fortran 77 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.f66 (Fortran 66 Source Code): text/x-fortran
.ftn (Fortran Source Code): text/x-fortran
.cbl (COBOL Source Code): text/x-cobol
.cpy (COBOL Copybook): text/x-cobol
.cob (COBOL Source Code): text/x-cobol
.jcl (Job Control Language): text/x-jcl
.sql (Structured Query Language): text/x-sql
.adb (Ada Source Code): text/x-ada
.ads (Ada Source Code): text/x-ada
.ada (Ada Source Code): text/x-ada
.ada95 (Ada 95 Source Code): text/x-ada95
.ada2005 (Ada 2005 Source Code): text/x-ada2005
.adb (Ada Body): text/x-ada
.ads (Ada Specification): text/x-ada
.ada (Ada Program): text/x-ada
.ada95 (Ada 95 Program): text/x-ada95
.ada2005 (Ada 2005 Program): text/x-ada2005
.awk (AWK Script): text/x-awk
.mawk (MAWK Script): text/x-mawk
.gawk (GAWK Script): text/x-gawk
.sed (SED Script): text/x-sed
.raku (Raku Script): text/x-raku
.yaml (YAML): text/yaml
.yml (YAML): text/yaml
.json (JSON): application/json
.toml (TOML): text/toml
.h (Header File): text/x-c-header
.hpp (C++ Header File): text/x-c++-header
.hh (C++ Header File): text/x-c++-header
.inc (Include File): text/x-include-file
.makefile (Makefile): text/x-makefile
.mk (Makefile): text/x-makefile
.cmake (CMake): text/x-cmake
.xml (XML): application/xml
.xsd (XML Schema): application/xml
.xsl (XSL Transformation): application/xml
.xslt (XSLT Transformation): application/xslt+xml
.wsdl (Web Services Description Language): application/wsdl+xml
.svg (Scalable Vector Graphics): image/svg+xml
.ico (Icon): image/x-icon
.bmp (Bitmap Image): image/bmp
.webp (WebP Image): image/webp
.tiff (Tagged Image File Format): image/tiff
.eps (Encapsulated PostScript): image/eps
.emf (Enhanced Metafile): image/emf

You can find other extensions you may be curious about on the MIME Types & File Extensions page

Every file type, from text documents to multimedia extravaganzas, carries its own unique imprint, rigorously defined by MIME standards. As technology continues to evolve, so will the nuances of data classification and interpretation. However, amidst the ever-changing currents of innovation, one thing remains constant: The fundamental role of MIME types in shaping the way software perceives and interacts with digital content. So the next time you encounter a file extension, remember the silent guardian behind the scenes - MIME types, the unsung heroes of data processing. As we bid farewell to this journey of discovery, let us embrace the endless possibilities that await us in the boundless realm of digital exploration. Until we embark on our next adventure together.