Symbiotic Design™ article: Common File Formats
| This is a short list of common file formats found on the web. I started this list when I found a similar article on the web that seemed to disclude a horrendous amount of relevant information. If you would like to add to the formats on this list, please email our . | |||
| Extension: (*.XXX) |
Use: (Note: some extensions may have multiple uses. Welcome to convergence.) |
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| ACE |
ACE Archiver compression file. |
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| AI |
Adobe Illustrator vector graphics image file. |
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| AIF | Audio Interleave File (SGI and Macintosh). | ||
| ANI | Animated cursors used in Microsoft Windows. | ||
| ANI | Amiga IFF index color animation format file. | ||
| ANIBRU | Amiga IFF index color animation clipping. | ||
| ANIM | Amiga IFF index color animation format file. | ||
| ANS | ANSI text. Supports color and animation codes. | ||
| ANSI | ANSI text. Supports color and animation codes. | ||
| API | Application Program Interface. | ||
| ART | AOL clipart. | ||
| ASC | ASCII plain text. | ||
| ASM | Assembler code. |
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| ASP | Microsoft Active Server Pages. Slow dynamic web pages. | ||
| AVI | Audio-Video Interleave (used largely for Windows based movies). Inferior quality movie format. | ||
| BAK | Backup files. | ||
| BAS | Basic programming language source code. | ||
| BAT | MSDOS batch file. | ||
| BFC | Briefcase resource file (Windows). | ||
| BIN | Binary file. | ||
| BIN | Macintosh binary encoded archive. |
Humans do a better job at providing relevant information for your searches. Introducing the Open Directory Project:
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| BMP | BitMaP uncompressed graphic image format. | ||
| BRU | Amiga IFF indexed color graphic image clipping. | ||
| BRU | NewTek VideoToaster raster image clipping. | ||
| BRUSH | Amiga IFF indexed color graphic image clipping. | ||
| BRUSH | NewTek VideoToaster raster image clipping. | ||
| BUD | Quiken backup disk. | ||
| BZ2 | Bzip2 compressed archive. | ||
| C | C programming language source file. | ||
| CAT | Security catalog file. | ||
| CBL | Cobol programming language source code. | ||
| CBT | Computer Based Training. | ||
| CDA | Compact Disk Audio track. | ||
| CDT | Correl Draw Template proprietary file format. | ||
| CFML | ColdFusion Markup Language file. | ||
| CGI | Common Gateway Interface script. For server based programs. | ||
| CHM | Windows Compiled HTML Help Module. | ||
| CLASS | JavaScript class library file. | ||
| CLASS | Amiga class identification resource file. | ||
| CLP | Windows clipboard file. | ||
| CMD | MSDOS executable command file. | ||
| COM | MSDOS/Windows executable command file. | ||
| CPL | Windows control panel settings item. | ||
| CPP | C++ programming language source code. | ||
| CSS | Cascading Style Sheet. Common style reference for a set of particular web pages. | ||
| CSV | Comma Seperated Values format. | ||
| CMF | Correl MetaFile. | ||
| CUR | Windows Cursor. | ||
| DAO | Windows registry backup file. | ||
| DAT | Data file. | ||
| DATA | Data file. | ||
| DD | Macintosh Disk Doubler compressed archive. | ||
| DEB | Debian package file. | ||
| DEV | Device driver. | ||
| DIC | Dictionary file. | ||
| DICT | Dictionary file. | ||
| DIR | Macromedia Director multimedia file format. | ||
| DIVX | DIVX compressed movie format (capable of high quality and high resolution). Used on HDTVCDs. | ||
| DLL | Windows Dynamic Linked Library executable application file. | ||
| DOC | Word Document. | ||
| DOT | Word Document Template. | ||
| DRV | Device Driver. | ||
| DS | TWAIN Data Source file. | ||
| DUN | Dial-Up Networking configuration file. |
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| DWG | AutoCAD DraWinG. | ||
| DXF | AutoCAD Drawing eXchange Format file. | ||
| EMF | Enhanced Windows MetaFile. | ||
| EML | Outlook EMaiL. | ||
| EPS | Encapsulated PostScript vector based image format file. | ||
| EPS2 | Adobe Encapsulated PostScript level 2 vector based image format file. | ||
| EXE | MSDOS/Windows EXEcutable program file. | ||
| EXE | Amiga EXEcutable program file. | ||
| EXE | MSDOS or Windows self EXEcuting archive. | ||
| FFL | Windows fast find file. | ||
| FFO | Windows fast find file. | ||
| FLA | Macromedia FLAsh movie format file. | ||
| FLASH | Macromedia FLASH movie format file. | ||
| FNT | Windows bitmap font. | ||
| FONT | Amiga bitmap FONT file. | ||
| FS | VideoToaster FrameStore NTSC frame image format file. | ||
| GIF | Graphics Interchange Format compressed index color image file. 8 bit color compressed image format with transparency capabilities created by Compuserve and used primarily for web use. The 89A version of the GIF format also supports animation. Because of it's 8 bit limitation, it is best suited for line drawings, cartoons, logos, buttons and animations. A lesser known non-standard version also supported sound but is incompatible with modern browsers. | ||
| GID | Windows help global index. | ||
| GRP | Windows program manager GRouP. | ||
| GZ | Gnu Zip compressed archive. | ||
| HEX | Macintosh binary hexidecimal (binhex) archive. | ||
| HLP | Windows standard help file. | ||
| HT | HyperTerminal file. | ||
| HQX | Macintosh binary hexidecimal (binhex) archive. | ||
| HTM | HyperText Markup language file originating from a Windows based authoring machine or server. This markup language file is used for home pages, web sites, online articles, help files, paperless software documentation and electronic books. | ||
| HTML | The standard HyperText Markup Language file extension. This markup language file is used for home pages, web sites, online articles, help files, paperless software documentation and electronic books. | ||
| ICL | Windows ICon Library file. | ||
| ICM | Image Color Matching profile. | ||
| ICO | Windows ICOn image. | ||
| IFF | Interchange File Format (8 to 24 bit indexed color graphics OR 8 bit interleave audio) used extensively on the Classic Amiga platform. Audio IFFs usually use the .snd extension. | ||
| INF | Windows INformation File. | ||
| INFO | Amiga icon. | ||
| INI | Windows INItialization file. | ||
| INIT | Older Macintosh startup INITialization file. | ||
| JAR | Java compressed ARchive file format. | ||
| JPE | Joint Photographer's Exchange graphic (JPEG) compressed raster image format file. Lossy compression format. Used primarily for final display copies in web based distribution of photographic quality images. Unanimously considered a poor compression scheme for originals or works to be edited by graphic designers world wide. | ||
| JPEG | Joint Photographer's Exchange graphic (JPEG) compressed raster image format file. Lossy compression format. Used primarily for final display copies in web based distribution of photographic quality images. Unanimously considered a poor compression scheme for originals or works to be edited by graphic designers world wide. | ||
| JPG | Joint Photographer's Exchange graphic (JPEG) compressed raster image format file. Lossy compression format. Used primarily for final display copies in web based distribution of photographic quality images. Unanimously considered a poor compression scheme for originals or works to be edited by graphic designers world wide. | ||
| JS | JavaScript programming language source code. | ||
| LAB | Excel mailing LABels. | ||
| LGO | Windows 9x startup LoGO. | ||
| LHA | Amiga/Apple/BeOS/Macintosh/Palm/Unix/Windows LHA compressed archive format file based on LZH compression technology. | ||
| LIT | eBook in Microsoft Reader format. | ||
| LNK | Windows shortcut file. | ||
| LOG | Application or OS text based log file. | ||
| LSP | AutoCAD LiSP program file. | ||
| LZ | Amiga/Unix LZ compressed archive format file based on LZH compression technology. | ||
| LZH | Amiga/Apple/BeOS/Macintosh/Palm/Unix/Windows LZH compressed archive format file based on LZH compression technology. | ||
| MAQ | Microsoft Access Query. | ||
| MAR | Microsoft Access Report. | ||
| MDB | Microsoft Access DataBase file. | ||
| MDL | Rose MoDeL file for Rational Rose or Visual Modeler. | ||
| MED | MED or OctaMED music module. | ||
| MID | Musical Instrument Device Interface (MIDI) music file. | ||
| MIDI | Musical Instrument Device Interface music file. | ||
| MOD | SoundTracker music MODule. | ||
| MOD | Windows 9x kernel MODule. | ||
| MOV | Apple QuickTime movie format file. | ||
| MP3 | MPEG audio layer 3 format file. | ||
| MPE | MPEG movie/animation format file. Codec originally from the Motion Picture Exchange Group. | ||
| MPEG | MPEG movie/animation format file. Codec from the Motion Picture Exchange Group. | ||
| MPP | Microsoft Project file. | ||
| MSG | Outlook message file. | ||
| MSG | Fidonet amatuer Buletin Board System (BBS) network message files. | ||
| NCF | Netware Command File. | ||
| NLM | Netware Loadable Module. | ||
| O | Object file used by linkers. | ||
| OCX | ActiveX control. | ||
| OGG | Ogg Vorbis music file. | ||
| OST | Outlook/Exchange offline file. | ||
| PAK | Quake/Doom game WAD file (contains information and data for levels, settings, maps, etc.). | ||
| PAK | Amiga PAK compressed archive. | ||
| PCL | HP Printer Control Language file. | ||
| PCT | Macintosh PICT format raster image file. | ||
| Adobe Portable Document File. Engineered for uniform document display support across a variety of different platforms. Most all platforms are supported through commercial, shareware or freeware viewer applications. | |||
| PDR | Windows Port DRiver (actually a VXD virtual device driver). | ||
| PHP | PHP script. Reasonably fast open source program scripting language used on servers to deliver online applications and XML style dynamic web pages. Supports a variety of modern high level programming languages. | ||
| PHTML | An HTML based web page containing a PHP script. PHP is a reasonably fast open source program scripting language used on servers to deliver online applications and XML style dynamic web pages. Supports a variety of modern high level programming languages. | ||
| PIC | Amiga IFF format index color image file. This extension is also used on a wide variety of image file formats, but considered a standard extension for Amiga IFF files. | ||
| PIC | Macintosh PICT format raster image file. Nonstandard extension resulting from the cropping of it's extension when converted to Microsoft's inferior 8.3 naming convention. | ||
| PICT | Macintosh PICT format raster image file. | ||
| PICTURE | Amiga IFF format index color image file. | ||
| PIF | Windows Program Information File. | ||
| PIF | IBM Mainframe vector graphics GDF file. | ||
| PIF | Macintosh compressed archive. | ||
| PL | PerL script. Open source scripting language used on servers to deliver simple online applications and simple XML style dynamic web pages. Often considered a CGI script, as it is often interchangeable with CGI programs. | ||
| PM | Perl Module. Perl is an open source scripting language used on servers to deliver simple online applications and simple XML style dynamic web pages. | ||
| PM3 | Adobe Pagemaker version 3 document. | ||
| PM4 | Adobe Pagemaker version 4 document. | ||
| PM5 | Adobe Pagemaker version 5 document. | ||
| PM6 | Adobe Pagemaker version 6 document. | ||
| PNG | Portable Network Graphic format compressed raster image file. 8 or 24 bit compressed graphics standard primarily used on the web. The 24 bit version includes awesome advanced high quality image transparency techniques which are not yet supported by all modern browsers, though all modern browsers can view the images without transparency support. | ||
| POL | Windows NT system POLicy file. | ||
| POT | PowerPoint design template. | ||
| PPD | Postscript Printer Description file. | ||
| PPS | PowerPoint Slideshow. | ||
| PPT | PowerPoint presentation. | ||
| PRN | Print Resource file (Windows "print to file" resulting file). | ||
| PS | PostScript vector based format file. | ||
| PSD | PhotoShop Document file. Adobe Photoshop's excellent native image format. | ||
| PSP | Paint Shop Pro raster image format file. | ||
| PST | Outlook personal file folder. | ||
| PUB | PUBlisher document. | ||
| PWL | Windows PassWord List. | ||
| QIF | Quicken Import File. | ||
| QT | QuickTime movie/animation file. | ||
| RAM | RealAudio Metafile. | ||
| RAR | RAR compressed archive file. | ||
| RAW | RAW image file format. | ||
| RDO | Raster Document Object. Proprietary raster image file format for Xerox Digipath Scan and Makeready workstations. | ||
| README | Text information file commonly used to provide program description and setup instructions for archives on Unix based FTP servers. | ||
| REG | Windows REGistry settings file. | ||
| RM | RealAudio Movie file. | ||
| RPM | RedHat Packet Manager file. | ||
| RSC | ReSourCe file. | ||
| RTF | Rich Text Format file. Initially a format to support word processor document formatting uniformly accross multiple applications and OS's, each application only supports the formatting it wants to, therefore this formatting initiative is a complete failure. | ||
| SCR | SCReensaver resource file. | ||
| SEA | Macintosh StuffIt Self Extracting Archive. | ||
| SEA | Amiga LHA format Self Extracting Archive. | ||
| SGML | Standard Generalized Markup Language file. SGML is the language on which HTML and XML are based. | ||
| SH | Unix based OS SHell script. | ||
| SHTML | HTML file which supports Server Side Includes (SSI). | ||
| SIT | Compressed Macintosh StuffIT archive file. | ||
| SMD | Sega Mega Drive ROM file. | ||
| SVG | Adobe Scalable Vector Graphics document file. | ||
| SWF | Macromedia ShockWave Flash format file. | ||
| SWP | DOS/Windows swap file. | ||
| SYS | Windows system hardware or driver configuration file. | ||
| TAR | Unix based OS archive file. Originally stood for "Tape ARchive." | ||
| TGA | Targa bitmap image file. | ||
| TIFF | Tagged Image File Format. Advanced universal graphic image format. 16 or 32 bit. | ||
| TMP | Temporary file for a variety of OS's. | ||
| TTF | True Type Font, a vector based font file. | ||
| TXT | Plain ASCII TeXT file. | ||
| UDF | Uniqueness Definitition File. A Windows unattended instal file. | ||
| UT | Unreal Tournament file. | ||
| UUE | UU-Encoded file. UU-Encoding turnd binary files into text for easier distribution through email. | ||
| VBX | Virtual Basic eXtension. | ||
| VM | Virtual Memory cache file. | ||
| VXD | Windows virtual device driver. | ||
| WAV | Waveform sound file. | ||
| WMF | Windows MetaFile. A graphic image format. | ||
| WRI | WRIte word processor document. | ||
| WSZ | WinAmp Skin | ||
| XCF | GIMP native image format (GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Program. A freely distributred graphic image processor for photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. www.gimp.org). | ||
| XIF | Wang Imaging file (Wang Image Viewer comes with Windows 1995 and 2000). | ||
| XIF | Xerox Image Format file (same as a TIFF). | ||
| XIF | Pagis eXented Image Format (from ScanSoft, similar to TIFF). | ||
| XLS | ExceL Spreadsheet. | ||
| XLT | Excel Template. | ||
| XML | Extensible Markup Language document. | ||
| XSL | XML StyLe sheet document. | ||
| ZIP | Windows compressed ZIP archive. | ||
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© copyright
Douglas E. Peters, latest update:
February 2, 2003
, all rights reserved.