File type

<file format> The kind of data stored in a file.

Most modern operating systems use the filename extension to determine the file type though some store this information elsewhere in the file system.

The file type is used to choose an appropriate icon to represent the file in a GUI and the correct application with which to view, edit, run, or print the file.

Different operating systems support different sets of file types though most agree on a large common set and allow arbitrary new types to be defined.

See also MIME.

[URL of list of file types?]

< Previous Terms	Terms Containing file type	Next Terms >
file signature file system Filesystem Hierarchy Standard file transfer File Transfer Protocol	binary file file type Group 3 Group 4 Interchange File Format	filing system filk fill-out form film at 11 FILO