List of File Formats with Types and Extensions Last Updated : 04 Mar, 2024 Comments Improve Suggest changes Like Article Like Report File Formats store a large variety of raw information in a structured format so that the data can be easily stored, processed, and harnessed. A file format is a standard way of storing data on a computer file. There are multiple types of file formats present which can be used to store and retrieve data efficiently. We will discuss the unique features and use cases for different kinds of file formats and compare them. As the technology is growing it has become more important to save the data in an organised and structured manner. Table of Content Most Used file formatsText File FormatsImage File FormatsAudio File FormatsVideo File FormatsProgram File FormatsCompressed/Archive File FormatsWeb page File FormatsFeatures of File FormatsMost Used file formatsExplore a wide range of common file formats and learn how to work with them effectively. Text: This type of file contains only text without any formatting and can be opened with any text editor.Different types of text formats include: .doc, .docx, .rtf, .pdf, .wpdImage: This file type includes binary information about images and defines how the image will be stored and compressed.Different types of Image File Format include: .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .HEIFAudio: This type of file format stores audio data. It stores raw data in an encoded format and uses codec to perform compression and decompression.Different types of Audio file formats include .aac, .mp3, .wavVideo: This type of file format contains digital video data. It performs lossy compression to store video data where audio and video are separately encoded and stored.Different types of Video File Formats include: .amv, .mpeg, .flv, .aviProgram: These file formats store codes that can be run on the computer through compiling or interpreting.Different types of Programming File Formats include: .c, .java, .py, .jsCompressed/Archive: These files store data in a compressed format on the computer and can be used to easily transport data between computers. These files need to be decompressed before use.Different types of Compressed File Formats include: .iso, .rar, .tar, .7zWeb page: These files include information related to the website, web pages, and server. these generally include programming scripts for static or dynamic web pages. Different types of Web Page File Format include: .html, .asp, .css, .xps.Recent File format published articles. Text File FormatsExtensionFull FormDescription.txtPlain TextThe most basic text file format, containing only ASCII characters and carriage returns to separate lines..rtfRich Text FormatA more advanced text file format that allows basic formatting like bold, italics, and font styles..docxWord Open XML DocumentCommonly used by Microsoft Word for storing and saving documents.csvComma-Separated ValuesA simple format for storing tabular data, with each row representing a data record and commas separating fields..docWord DocumentUsed for word processing documents stored in Microsoft Word Binary File Format.wpsWPS Office Word DocumentA proprietary document file format developed by Kingsoft Office..wpdWordPerfect DocumentA document file format associated with WordPerfect, a word processing software..msg Message Microsoft Outlook message format; contains email messages with formatting, attachments, and other information. Image File FormatsExtension Full FormDescription.jpgJoint Photographic Experts GroupA lossy compression format that is commonly used for photographs and other images with a lot of detail..pngPortable Network GraphicsA lossless compression format that is commonly used for images with sharp edges or text..webpWeb Picture FormatIt Supports both lossy and lossless image compression with support of 24-bit RGB color..gifGraphics Interchange FormatThe limited-color format is commonly used for animations and small images..tifTagged Image File FormatHigh-quality format that is commonly used for professional photography and printing..bmpBitmapAn uncompressed format that is commonly used by Microsoft Windows..epsEncapsulated PostScript fileA vector format that is commonly used for print graphics.Audio File FormatsExtensionFull FormDescription.mp3MP3 Audio FileCommonly used for storing and distributing music..wmaWindows Media Audio Developed by Microsoft for audio compression, often used for streaming and downloading music..sndSoundA generic file extension for sound files, often associated with audio data..wavWAVE Audio FileCommonly used for storing and recording audio..raRealAudioIt's a playlist file format that is commonly used for storing and distributing playlists..au Audio Used for storing audio data, commonly associated with Sun Microsystems. .aac Advanced Audio Coding Used as an in-vogue sound field design for packed virtual sound and tune data. Video File FormatsExtensionFull FormDescription.mp4MPEG-4 Video FileMultimedia container format that commonly stores video and audio data..3gp3GPP Multimedia FileMultimedia container format that is commonly used for mobile phones..aviAudio Video Interleave FileAn older multimedia container format that is still supported by many devices..mpgMPEG Video FileOlder video compression format that is still supported by some devices..movApple QuickTime MovieThe format that is commonly used by Apple devices..wmvWindows Media Video File The format that is commonly used by Microsoft devices.Program File FormatsExtension  Full FormDescription.cC/C++ Source Code FileGeneral-purpose programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs between 1969 and 1972..cppC++ source Code FileA general-purpose programming language developed by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension to the C programming language..javaJava Source Code FileProgramming language created by Sun Microsystems that is now owned by Oracle Corporation..pyPython script The programming language was developed by Guido van Rossum and first released in 1991..jsJavaScriptA scripting language that is primarily used to add interactivity to web pages..tsTypeScriptA superset of JavaScript that adds optional static typing..csC# Ssource Code FileA programming language developed by Microsoft as part of the .NET framework..swiftSwift Source Code FileProgramming language developed by Apple for developing iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and Linux applications.dtaDocument Type Definition FileA data storage format commonly used by Stata, a statistical software program..plPerl ScriptA programming language developed by Larry Wall at the University of California, Santa Cruz in the early 1980s..shBash Shell ScriptA shell scripting language commonly used to automate tasks on Unix-like operating systems.bat Batch file Batch file format used to automate tasks on Windows systems; contains a series of commands to be executed by the command interpreter. .com Command file A COM file is an executable file format used for programs on older Windows systems. COM files have limited functionality compared to modern formats. .exe Executable file An executable file is a type of computer file that contains compiled code that can be run directly by the operating system. Executable files are commonly used to run programs. Compressed/Archive File FormatsExtensionFull FormDescription.rarWinRAR Compressed ArchiveA proprietary file archiver developed by Eugene Roshal..zipZipped FileA lossless data compression format that packages multiple files into a single archive file..hqxBinHexA Macintosh binary-to-text encoding format, often used to transfer binary files through email..arjArchived by Robert JungA file compression format, similar to ZIP and RAR, used to compress and archive files..tarCompressed Tarball FileThis file archiving format groups multiple files into a single archive file..arc ARC archive file An ARC file is an archive file format used for compressing and storing files. ARC is an outdated format and has been replaced by ZIP and other newer options. .sit StuffIt archive file A SIT file is an archive file format used on Macintosh systems. SIT is similar to ARC but is specific to Macs. .gz GZIP compressed file A GZ file is a file format created with gzip compression. Gzip shrinks the size of files for storage and transmission. .z Compressed file A Z file is a compressed file format associated with the "compress" compression program on Unix systems. Web page File FormatsExtension  Full FormDescription.htmlHyperText Markup Language FileHTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages..htm HyperText Markup Language File Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document format with the less common file extension; identical to .html files. .xhtmlExtensible Hypertext markup language FileThis is a markup language that combines HTML with XML..aspActive Server pageA web development technology that allows developers to create dynamic web pages using server-side scripting..cssCascading Style SheetThis is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation of a web page..aspxActive Server Page Extended FileThis allows developers to create dynamic web pages using server-side scripting in ASP.NET..rssRich Site SummaryThis is a web feed format that allows users to subscribe to updates from websites.Features of File FormatsStructure Data: File Formats have a basic structure of how data should be stored in the file.Extension: Extensions are useful so that the operating system can check which type of file is being used.Metadata: This is the data that stores useful information about the file such as author name, license, etc.Interoperability: This feature enables multiple systems to use the same file format. Comment More infoAdvertise with us Next Article Text File Formats S shobhit__sharma Follow Improve Article Tags : TechTips Tutorials Similar Reads List of File Formats with Types and Extensions File Formats store a large variety of raw information in a structured format so that the data can be easily stored, processed, and harnessed. A file format is a standard way of storing data on a computer file. There are multiple types of file formats present which can be used to store and retrieve d 8 min read Text File FormatsText File FormatsTXT file format is a format that is developed for storing plain text with no formatting such as graphics, bolding, italicization, font style, alignment, and so on. It is one of the most basic file types and the most widely used file formats on computers. These files are smaller than other file forma 7 min read DOC File Format | .doc ExtensionThe doc file format, which has been in play for decades now, is a common text-based document format recognized around the world. This article will look at what a .doc file is, how it can be used, opening and creating .doc files, its advantages, and applications that use this format. Table of Content 4 min read Text File Format | .txt ExtensionTXT file format is the default choice for basic data storage in current-day computing. The reason behind this is that it can be easily created, and edited and is also compatible with most hardware. Therefore, it is widely used for storing data, writing codes, saving logs etc. Table of Content What i 4 min read DOCX File Format | .docx ExtensionDocx is a popular file format used in many word-processing applications that are highly compatible and feature-rich. This is the standard layout of Microsoft Word, a widely used word-processing program across the globe. In this article, We will explore the DOCX text format, including its application 4 min read RTF File Format | .rtf ExtensionRTF stands for rich text format which is commonly used in storing text and text formatting information that can be applied in the creation or sharing of documents. in this article, article, we'll delve into the details of RTF explaining what it is, where and how it can be used, opening and creating 4 min read Message File Format | .msg ExtensionThe MSG file format is a proprietary format developed by Microsoft for storing individual email messages. It is primarily associated with Microsoft Outlook, an email client widely used for personal and professional communication. The MSG file contains a structured set of data, including the email's 5 min read Image File FormatsImage FormatsImage formats are different types of file types used for saving pictures, graphics, and photos. Choosing the right image format is important because it affects how your images look, load, and perform on websites, social media, or in print. Common formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, and SVG, each with it 5 min read Audio File FormatsAudio File FormatsAn audio file format is a file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system. The bit layout of the audio data (excluding metadata) is called the audio coding format and can be uncompressed, or compressed to reduce the file size, often using lossy compression. 12 SOUND FILE FORMATSWhat 5 min read AAC File: What a .aac is and How to Open ItAdvanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a popular audio file format widely used for compressing and streaming digital audio files. Known for its efficient data compression and high audio quality, the .aac format is a go-to choice for music streaming services, digital devices, and multimedia applications. Her 6 min read Audio File Format | .au ExtensionAu sound format is a file format developed by Sun Microsystems they are also known as Unix audio files most commonly they are used to audio files and embed the audio files on web pages. AU files are smaller and thus have poor sound quality. Table of Content Uses of the AU file formatHow to Run AU fi 4 min read WAVE File Format | .wav ExtensionFile format is the way in which information is organized and stored in a computer. For different types of data such as text, documents, images, video, and music there are different file formats used. Example: For a text document, the file format to save normal text is TXT, for images file format use 4 min read Video File FormatsCommon Video FormatWhenever a video file is saved it contains two file in it. One is the container and other is codecs. Container defines the structure of the video file and which codecs will be used. Codecs is used to compress and decompress video file. Some of common container format are: Flash Video Format (.flv) T 2 min read Program File FormatsBatch File Format |.bat ExtensionBatch scripts ending with “.bat†are usually employed to automate operations as well as perform many commands consecutively. The BAT program file format has been used in the computing world for decades to ease and enhance efficiency in production as well as boost productivity. Table of Content What 3 min read Command File Format | .com ExtensionWindows-based application development and running are dependent on the fundamental aspect, which is the COM component object model program file format. It is important because it helps in making it possible for software parts to connect and make complicated programs. In this article, We will discuss 5 min read Executable File Format | .exe ExtensionThe Windows operating system has a crucial element known as the Exe file format, which is one of the most commonly used computer program file formats in the world today. Executable files are important in running software applications from the simplest text editor to sophisticated video games. In thi 4 min read Compressed/Archive File FormatsCompressed File FormatsThe compressed file format has become an indispensable part of our digital environment, enabling the compression and transmission of large amounts of data while saving precious space in storage. This article will explore some of the common compressed file formats, understand their nature, what they 6 min read TAR File Format | .tar ExtensionA tar tape document record design is a chronicle made by tar, a UNIX-based utility used to bundle documents together for reinforcement or dissemination purposes. It contains various records (otherwise called a tarball) put away in an uncompressed design alongside metadata about the file. Tar documen 8 min read SIT File Format | .sit ExtensionThe StuffIt file format, denoted by the ".sit" extension, is associated with the StuffIt compression and archiving software. Developed by Aladdin Systems (now part of Smith Micro Software), StuffIt was a popular tool for compressing and archiving files, especially on the Macintosh platform. Table of 4 min read Z File Format | .z ExtensionA Z file is a compressed UNIX file used to archive files and save space. Like many UNIX compression formats, a Z file can only contain one file. However, it can be used to deliver a group of files as long as they have been archived by a multi-file archive tool first. Table of Content What is the z-c 10 min read GZIP File Format | .gz ExtensionThe Gz compressed file is also known as Gzip, it's miles a broadly used record compression format. It makes use of the DEFLATE compression set of rules, which reduces the size of documents and data without dropping data integrity. Gzip is characterized via the .gz record extension, and it's normally 3 min read ARC File Format | .arc ExtensionThere are many ways to optimize data storage in the real world of data file formats. There are several types of files that use this format such as ARC. This format of the files can also be known as ARC or compressed arc, which offers the users the ability to save space with the disk files and stream 5 min read WinRAR File Format | .rar ExtensionRAR stands for Roshal Archive. It is a simple compressed format that supports data compression and data recovery. It was developed by Eugene Roshal It is used widely for compression and file and archiving files. The file format extension is `.rar`.The 'rar' compression has many advantages.The 'rar' 4 min read Zipped File Format | .zip ExtensionFile compression formats are crucial in making data manageable, more efficient, and easier to access in the era of digital data storage and transfer. This format includes the Zip Compressed Format which is very common. In this article, We will discuss what that file format is, its use, how to use th 7 min read Web page File FormatsHTM File Format | .htm ExtensionThe HTM file format is a web page file written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and uses the .htm extension, which is an alternative to .html. Early operating systems restricted file extensions to three characters, making .htm a common choice, especially in legacy systems.An HTM file is a plain t 3 min read HTML File Format | .html ExtensionHTML, or Hyper Text Markup Language, is the most basic file that defines the structure of the web page to be displayed. HTML files can be loaded from local storage (file system) or fetched from the server by a browser.The HTML files are made up of elements like forms, texts, images, animations, etc. 3 min read PDF File Format PDF, which means a portable document, is a ubiquitous format. The PDF file format was developed by Adobe in the early 1990s, and it is a must-have tool for communicating, viewing, and archiving document copies. In this article, we will delve into the world of PDF text files, exploring what they are, 4 min read WPD File Format The origins of the WPD (WordPerfect Document) file format may be traced back to the early years of word processing. WPD files, which were created by Corel Corporation, have been crucial in the development of document generation and editing. We shall examine the features, functionality, and applicabi 5 min read Like