HTTP content-type
Content-Type (content type) generally refers to the Content-Type present in web pages. It is used to define the type of network file and the encoding of the web page, determining in what form and with what encoding the browser will read the file. This is why you often see that clicking on some PHP web pages results in downloading a file or an image instead.
The Content-Type header tells the client the content type of the actual returned content.
Syntax format:
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=something
Example:
Common media format types are as follows:
- 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 format 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 (such as common file downloads)
- application/x-www-form-urlencoded: The default encType in <form encType=””>. The form data is encoded as key/value format and sent to the server (the default format for submitting form data).
Another common media format is used when uploading files:
- multipart/form-data: This format is required when uploading files in a form.
HTTP content-type reference table
| File extension | Content-Type(Mime-Type) | File extension | Content-Type(Mime-Type) |
|---|---|---|---|
| .* (binary stream, unknown downloaded 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 |