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List of MIME Types

Comprehensive searchable reference of 1500+ IANA Media Types and file extensions for web development, server configuration, and API content negotiation.

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About

Correct specification of media types determines how browsers and servers interpret transmitted data. Developers configure these identifiers in HTTP headers to ensure security and proper rendering. An incorrect definition often forces a browser to guess the content type through sniffing. This mechanism introduces security risks like cross-site scripting attacks if executable code is masked as an image. Strict adherence to IANA standards prevents these vulnerabilities. Server configurations for Nginx or Apache require precise mappings between file extensions and these types. This database aggregates standard and legacy definitions for rapid lookup during backend setup or API integration.

mime types media types file extensions content-type iana web development

Formulas

A standard HTTP header configuration using a MIME type:

Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

When handling binary files with unknown types, the generic fallback is often used:

Content-Type: application/octet-stream

Frequently Asked Questions

This MIME type acts as a binary fallback when the server cannot determine the specific file type from the extension. It instructs the browser to treat the file as an arbitrary binary data stream. This usually triggers a "Save As" dialog rather than attempting to render the content. You must update your server's MIME type configuration map (e.g., mime.types in Nginx) to fix this for specific extensions.
The distinction lies in encoding and processing rules. Using text/xml implies that the content is readable by a human even if the character encoding is unknown, often defaulting to US-ASCII. Conversely, application/xml imposes stricter parsing rules and does not assume a default character set. Modern best practices generally favor application/xml for machine-readable data APIs.
No. The extension is part of the filename, while the MIME type is metadata sent in the HTTP headers. Renaming a file from .jpg to .png does not change the internal binary structure or the required MIME type. Browsers prioritize the HTTP Content-Type header over the file extension. Mismatches between the header and the actual file content can lead to security blocking by the browser (X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff).
Vendor-specific types include the prefix "vnd." in the subtype. For example, application/vnd.ms-excel indicates a Microsoft Excel file. These are registered with IANA but represent proprietary or specific formats rather than general open standards. Developers use these to ensure that specific applications (like Office suites) launch when the file is accessed.
Modern browsers enforce strict security policies. If you serve a JavaScript file with a MIME type like text/plain or image/png, and the page includes the X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff header, the browser will refuse to execute the script. This prevents malicious code disguised as other file types from running.