HTTP Media Types is a standard that specifies the nature and format of a file.
Browsers rely on media types, rather than file extensions, to know how to handle a file.
Media types are formerly known as MIME types.
Two <source> elements with type attributes which specify the media types.
Media types for the video files are: video/mp4 and video/ogg.
<video width="320" height="240" controls>
<source type="video/mp4" src="/media/movie.mp4">
<source type="video/ogg" src="/media/movie.ogg">
</video>
A media type indicates the format and nature of a document.
Browsers don't look at a link's file extension, but rather what media type it is.
The IANA organization maintains a list of all official media types.
Below are lists of commonly used media types.
Note: Media types are formely know as MIME types.
Media types are specified as type and subtype with a slash (/) between them, like so:
type/subtype
There are nine major top-level types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| application | Binary data that require an application |
| audio | Audio and music files |
| font | Font and typeface files |
| image | Graphical data formats |
| message | Email and messaging formats |
| model | Model data to create 2d or 3d scenes |
| multipart | Data with multiple media types |
| text | Readable text files |
| video | Video and movie files |
Next are commonly used media types organized by type.
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| application/atom+xml | Atom feed format |
| application/octet-stream | Any kind of binary file |
| application/vnd.amazon.ebook | Amazon Kindle book format |
| application/octet-stream | Any type of binary file |
| application/epub+zip | Epub book format |
| application/zip | Zip archive format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/json | Json format |
| application/java-archive | Jar format |
| application/msword | Microsoft Word |
| application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | Microsoft Word (OpenXML) |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| application/pdf | Pdf file format |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| audio/mpeg | Mp3 audio format |
| audio/ogg | Ogg audio format |
| audio/wav | Waveform audio format |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| font/pdf | Font |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| image/jpeg | Jpeg image |
| image/png | Portable Network Graphics image |
| image/avif | Aliance for Open Media image |
| image/webp | Webp image |
| image/svg+xml | Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) |
| image/tiff | Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) |
| image/gif | Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) |
| image/bmp | Windows OS/2 Bitmap Graphics |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| message/http | Http message |
| message/partial | Email message |
| message/rfc822 | Email subtype with encapsulated message |
| message/imdn+xml: | Imdn message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| message/pdf | Message |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| model/pdf | Model |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| multipart/pdf | Multipart |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| text/plain | Plain text: ASCII or ISO 8859 |
| text/html | HTML format |
| text/css | CSS format |
| text/javascript | JavaScript |
| text/csv | Comma separated values (CSV) |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| text/pdf | Text |
| Media type | Description |
|---|---|
| video/mp4 | Mp4 format |
| video/mpeg | Mp3 or other Mpeg format |
| video/ogg | A variety of formats inside an Ogg container |
Browsers assign a default media type if no type is specified.
This process of guessing the right media type is referred to as MIME sniffing.
The defaults are:
