HTTP content-type
Content-Type typically refers to the Content-Type present in web pages, which defines the type of network file and the encoding of the webpage. It determines how the browser will read this file, in terms of format and encoding. This is the reason why sometimes clicking on a PHP webpage results in downloading a file or an image.
The Content-Type header tells the client the actual type of content that is being returned.
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=something
Examples:
Common media types include:
text/html: HTML format
text/plain: Plain text format
text/xml: XML format
image/gif: GIF image format
image/jpeg: JPG image format
image/png: PNG image format
Media types starting with application:
application/xhtml+xml: XHTML format
application/xml: XML data format
application/atom+xml: Atom XML aggregation format
application/json: JSON data format
application/pdf: PDF format
application/msword: Word document format
application/octet-stream: Binary stream data (common for file downloads)
application/x-www-form-urlencoded: The default encType for forms; form data is encoded as key/value pairs and sent to the server (the default format for form submission)
Another common media type is used when uploading files:
multipart/form-data: This format is required when a form needs to upload files.
HTTP Content-Type Comparison Table
File Extension |
Content-Type(Mime-Type) | File Extension |
Content-Type(Mime-Type) |
|---|---|---|---|
| .* (Binary stream, unknown download file type) | application/octet-stream | .tif | image/tiff |
| .001 | application/x-001 | .301 | application/x-301 |
| .323 | text/h323 | .906 | application/x-906 |
| .907 | drawing/907 | .a11 | application/x-a11 |
| .acp | audio/x-mei-aac | .ai | application/postscript |
| .aif | audio/aiff | .aifc | audio/aiff |
| .aiff | audio/aiff | .anv | application/x-anv |
| .asa | text/asa | .asf | video/x-ms-asf |
| .asp | text/asp | .asx | video/x-ms-asf |
| .au | audio/basic | .avi | video/avi |
| .awf | application/vnd.adobe.workflow | .biz | text/xml |
| .bmp | application/x-bmp | .bot | application/x-bot |
| .c4t | application/x-c4t | .c90 | application/x-c90 |
| .cal | application/x-cals | .cat | application/vnd.ms-pki.seccat |
| .cdf | application/x-netcdf | .cdr | application/x-cdr |
| .cel | application/x-cel | .cer | application/x-x509-ca-cert |
| .cg4 | application/x-g4 | .cgm | application/x-cgm |
| .cit | application/x-cit | .class | java/* |
| .cml | text/xml | .cmp | application/x-cmp |
| .cmx | application/x-cmx | .cot | application/x-cot |
| .crl | application/pkix-crl | .crt | application/x-x509-ca-cert |
| .csi | application/x-csi | .css | text/css |
| .cut | application/x-cut | .dbf | application/x-dbf |
| .dbm | application/x-dbm | .dbx | application/x-dbx |
| .dcd | text/xml | .dcx | application/x-dcx |
| .der | application/x-x509-ca-cert | .dgn | application/x-dgn |
| .dib | application/x-dib | .dll | application/x-msdownload |
| .doc | application/msword | .dot | application/msword |
| .drw | application/x-drw | .dtd | text/xml |
| .dwf | Model/vnd.dwf | .dwf | application/x-dwf |
| .dwg | application/x-dwg | .dxb | application/x-dxb |
| .dxf | application/x-dxf | .edn | application/vnd.adobe.edn |
| .emf | application/x-emf | .eml | message/rfc822 |
| .ent | text/xml | .epi | application/x-epi |
| .eps | application/x-ps | .eps | application/postscript |
| .etd | application/x-ebx | .exe | application/x-msdownload |
| .fax | image/fax | .fdf | application/vnd.fdf |
| .fif | application/fractals | .fo | text/xml |
| .frm | application/x-frm | .g4 | application/x-g4 |
| .gbr | application/x-gbr | . | application/x- |
| .gif | image/gif | .gl2 | application/x-gl2 |
| .gp4 | application/x-gp4 | .hgl | application/x-hgl |
| .hmr | application/x-hmr | .hpg | application/x-hpgl |
| .hpl | application/x-hpl | .hqx | application/mac-binhex40 |
| .hrf | application/x-hrf | .hta | application/hta |
| .htc | text/x-component | .htm | text/html |
| .html | text/html | .htt | text/webviewhtml |
| .htx | text/html | .icb | application/x-icb |
| .ico | image/x-icon | .ico | application/x-ico |
| .iff | application/x-iff | .ig4 | application/x-g4 |
| .igs | application/x-igs | .iii | application/x-iphone |
| .img | application/x-img | .ins | application/x-internet-signup |
| .isp | application/x-internet-signup | .IVF | video/x-ivf |
| .java | java/* | .jfif | image/jpeg |
| .jpe | image/jpeg | .jpe | application/x-jpe |
| .jpeg | image/jpeg | .jpg | image/jpeg |
| .jpg | application/x-jpg | .js | application/x-javascript |
| .jsp | text/html | .la1 | audio/x-liquid-file |
| .lar | application/x-laplayer-reg | .latex | application/x-latex |
| .lavs | audio/x-liquid-secure | .lbm | application/x-lbm |
| .lmsff | audio/x-la-lms | .ls | application/x-javascript |
| .ltr | application/x-ltr | .m1v | video/x-mpeg |
| .m2v | video/x-mpeg | .m3u | audio/mpegurl |
| .m4e | video/mpeg4 | .mac | application/x-mac |
| .man | application/x-troff-man | .math | text/xml |
| .mdb | application/msaccess | .mdb | application/x-mdb |
| .mfp | application/x-shockwave-flash | .mht | message/rfc822 |
| .mhtml | message/rfc822 | .mi | application/x-mi |
| .mid | audio/mid | .midi | audio/mid |
| .mil | application/x-mil | .mml | text/xml |
| .mnd | audio/x-musicnet-download | .mns | audio/x-musicnet-stream |
| .mocha | application/x-javascript | .movie | video/x-sgi-movie |
| .mp1 | audio/mp1 | .mp2 | audio/mp2 |
| .mp2v | video/mpeg | .mp3 | audio/mp3 |
| .mp4 | video/mpeg4 | .mpa | video/x-mpg |
| .mpd | application/vnd.ms-project | .mpe | video/x-mpeg |
| .mpeg | video/mpg | .mpg | video/mpg |
| .mpga | audio/rn-mpeg | .mpp | application/vnd.ms-project |
| .mps | video/x-mpeg | .mpt | application/vnd.ms-project |
| .mpv | video/mpg | .mpv2 | video/mpeg |
| .mpw | application/vnd.ms-project | .mpx | application/vnd.ms-project |
| .mtx | text/xml | .mxp | application/x-mmxp |
| .net | image/pnetvue | .nrf | application/x-nrf |
| .nws | message/rfc822 | .odc | text/x-ms-odc |
| .out | application/x-out | .p10 | application/pkcs10 |
| .p12 | application/x-pkcs12 | .p7b | application/x-pkcs7-certificates |
| .p7c | application/pkcs7-mime | .p7m | application/pkcs7-mime |
| .p7r | application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp | .p7s | application/pkcs7-signature |
| .pc5 | application/x-pc5 | .pci | application/x-pci |
| .pcl | application/x-pcl | .pcx | application/x-pcx |
| application/pdf | application/pdf | ||
| .pdx | application/vnd.adobe.pdx | .pfx | application/x-pkcs12 |
| .pgl | application/x-pgl | .pic | application/x-pic |
| .pko | application/vnd.ms-pki.pko | .pl | application/x-perl |
| .plg | text/html | .pls | audio/scpls |
| .plt | application/x-plt | .png | image/png |
| .png | application/x-png | .pot | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint |
| .ppa | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | .ppm | application/x-ppm |
| .pps | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | .ppt | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint |
| .ppt | application/x-ppt | .pr | application/x-pr |
| .prf | application/pics-rules | .prn | application/x-prn |
| .prt | application/x-prt | .ps | application/x-ps |
| .ps | application/postscript | .ptn | application/x-ptn |
| .pwz | application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | .r3t | text/vnd.rn-realtext3d |
| .ra | audio/vnd.rn-realaudio | .ram | audio/x-pn-realaudio |
| .ras | application/x-ras | .rat | application/rat-file |
| .rdf | text/xml | .rec | application/vnd.rn-recording |
| .red | application/x-red | .rgb | application/x-rgb |
| .rjs | application/vnd.rn-realsystem-rjs | .rjt | application/vnd.rn-realsystem-rjt |
| .rlc | application/x-rlc | .rle | application/x-rle |
| .rm | application/vnd.rn-realmedia | .rmf | application/vnd.adobe.rmf |
| .rmi | audio/mid | .rmj | application/vnd.rn-realsystem-rmj |
| .rmm | audio/x-pn-realaudio | .rmp | application/vnd.rn-rn_music_package |
| .rms | application/vnd.rn-realmedia-secure | .rmvb | application/vnd.rn-realmedia-vbr |
| .rmx | application/vnd.rn-realsystem-rmx | .rnx | application/vnd.rn-realplayer |
| .rp | image/vnd.rn-realpix | .rpm | audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin |
| .rsml | application/vnd.rn-rsml | .rt | text/vnd.rn-realtext |
| .rtf | application/msword | .rtf | application/x-rtf |
| .rv | video/vnd.rn-realvideo | .sam | application/x-sam |
| .sat | application/x-sat | .sdp | application/sdp |
| .sdw | application/x-sdw | .sit | application/x-stuffit |
| .slb | application/x-slb | .sld | application/x-sld |
| .slk | drawing/x-slk | .smi | application/smil |
| .smil | application/smil | .smk | application/x-smk |
| .snd | audio/basic | .sol | text/plain |
| .sor | text/plain | .spc | application/x-pkcs7-certificates |
| .spl | application/futuresplash | .spp | text/xml |
| .ssm | application/streamingmedia | .sst | application/vnd.ms-pki.certstore |
| .stl | application/vnd.ms-pki.stl | .stm | text/html |
| .sty | application/x-sty | .svg | text/xml |
| .swf | application/x-shockwave-flash | .tdf | application/x-tdf |
| .tg4 | application/x-tg4 | .tga | application/x-tga |
| .tif | image/tiff | .tif | application/x-tif |
| .tiff | image/tiff | .tld | text/xml |
| .top | drawing/x-top | .torrent | application/x-bittorrent |
| .tsd | text/xml | .txt | text/plain |
| .uin | application/x-icq | .uls | text/iuls |
| .vcf | text/x-vcard | .vda | application/x-vda |
| .vdx | application/vnd.visio | .vml | text/xml |
| .vpg | application/x-vpeg005 | .vsd | application/vnd.visio |
| .vsd | application/x-vsd | .vss | application/vnd.visio |
| .vst | application/vnd.visio | .vst | application/x-vst |
| .vsw | application/vnd.visio | .vsx | application/vnd.visio |
| .vtx | application/vnd.visio | .vxml | text/xml |
| .wav | audio/wav | .wax | audio/x-ms-wax |
| .wb1 | application/x-wb1 | .wb2 | application/x-wb2 |
| .wb3 | application/x-wb3 | .wbmp | image/vnd.wap.wbmp |
| .wiz | application/msword | .wk3 | application/x-wk3 |
| .wk4 | application/x-wk4 | .wkq | application/x-wkq |
| .wks | application/x-wks | .wm | video/x-ms-wm |
| .wma | audio/x-ms-wma | .wmd | application/x-ms-wmd |
| .wmf | application/x-wmf | .wml | text/vnd.wap.wml |
| .wmv | video/x-ms-wmv | .wmx | video/x-ms-wmx |
| .wmz | application/x-ms-wmz | .wp6 | application/x-wp6 |
| .wpd | application/x-wpd | .wpg | application/x-wpg |
| .wpl | application/vnd.ms-wpl | .wq1 | application/x-wq1 |
| .wr1 | application/x-wr1 | .wri | application/x-wri |
| .wrk | application/x-wrk | .ws | application/x-ws |
| .ws2 | application/x-ws | .wsc | text/scriptlet |
| .wsdl | text/xml | .wvx | video/x-ms-wvx |
| .xdp | application/vnd.adobe.xdp | .xdr | text/xml |
| .xfd | application/vnd.adobe.xfd | .xfdf | application/vnd.adobe.xfdf |
| .xhtml | text/html | .xls | application/vnd.ms-excel |
| .xls | application/x-xls | .xlw | application/x-xlw |
| .xml | text/xml | .xpl | audio/scpls |
| .xq | text/xml | .xql | text/xml |
| .xquery | text/xml | .xsd | text/xml |
| .xsl | text/xml | .xslt | text/xml |
| .xwd | application/x-xwd | .x_b | application/x-x_b |
| .sis | application/vnd.symbian.install | .sisx | application/vnd.symbian.install |
| .x_t | application/x-x_t | .ipa | application/vnd.iphone |
| .apk | application/vnd.android.package-archive | .xap | application/x-silverlight-app |