MIME Type

Definition

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or data transmitted over the internet. It is used to identify the type of content being sent and to interpret how it should be processed by the receiving application.

MIME types play a crucial role in ensuring that web content is displayed correctly on different devices and platforms. By specifying the MIME type of a file, web servers can inform browsers about the content type and how it should be handled. This information helps browsers render the content appropriately, whether it is an HTML page, an image, a video, an audio file, or any other type of data.

In a Content Delivery Network (CDN) environment, MIME types are essential for identifying the content type of files stored on the CDN servers. When a file is uploaded to a CDN, its MIME type is specified to ensure that the CDN can serve the file correctly to end-users. By associating the correct MIME type with each file, the CDN can deliver the content with the appropriate headers and metadata, enabling browsers to interpret and display the content correctly.

List of Common MIME Types

The following two important MIME types are the default types:

• text/plain is the default value for textual files. A textual file should be human-readable and must not contain binary data.

• application/octet-stream is the default value for all other cases. An unknown file type should use this type. Browsers are particularly careful when manipulating these files to protect users from software vulnerabilities and possible dangerous behavior.

Here are some common MIME types used for various types of content:

• application: Used for application-specific data formats. Examples include PDF (application/pdf), JavaScript (application/javascript), and JSON (application/json).

• audio: Used for audio files. Examples include MP3 (audio/mpeg), WAV (audio/wav), and OGG (audio/ogg).

• font: Used for font files. Examples include TrueType (font/ttf), OpenType (font/otf), and Web Open Font Format (font/woff).

• image: Used for image files. Examples include JPEG (image/jpeg), PNG (image/png), and GIF (image/gif).

• message: Used for email messages. Examples include RFC 822 (message/rfc822) and Partial Email (message/partial). NOTE: This is not commonly used in web development.

• model: Used for 3D models and related data. Examples include STL (model/stl) and VRML (model/vrml). NOTE: This is not commonly used in web development.

• multipart: Used for MIME email messages with multiple parts. Examples include Mixed (multipart/mixed) and Alternative (multipart/alternative). NOTE: This is not commonly used in web development.

• text: Used for text files. Examples include Plain Text (text/plain), HTML (text/html), and CSS (text/css).

• video: Used for video files. Examples include MP4 (video/mp4), WebM (video/webm), and OGG (video/ogg).

For a common list of MIME types and their descriptions, refer to the MDN Web Docs.

For a comprehensive list of MIME types and their descriptions, refer to the IANA Media Types registry.