Initially, MIME types were designed forthe ability to transfer data other than text. Actually it was for e-mail. For example, to transfer a picture, through its protocol, a MIME type was used, which informs that, for example, a JPEG file is being transmitted.
MIME types are actively used for transmissiondata in the HTTP protocol. In simple terms, it describes the additional attributes of the forwarded package and supports the ability to implement the transfer of multiple files, even nested within one message. In order to inform the recipient of what type of file is being transmitted and, accordingly, how to work with it, the header of the file adds its MIME type. For example, plain text is labeled text / plain, and electronic pages are text / html.
About how the MIME types are arranged and for what purposes,you need to know the web developers and programmers, whose job it is to create products that somehow work with the Network. Describe the interaction better on an example close to reality.
The web programmer writes the code for one of the pagessite. It allows you to download a PDF file. In the code, it specifies a MIME for this type of data: application / pdf. The browser, referring to this page, reads the title and understands that this is a PDF file. And depending on the settings either immediately starts downloading it, or just opens it for viewing in the window. Thus, the separation of content into types allows the client to adequately respond to incoming data types in an appropriate way.
The number of file types listed in thestandard MIME, is large. For convenience, they are all divided into categories. It is worthwhile to consider the main ones and describe the types, as well as how the browser will react to them.
There are types in it which, one way or another, are related to the transmission of textual information. This can include scripts, style sheets, plain text. The category includes:
Here, extensions of the transferred files are sent, for example:
Contains types that you can, eitherotherwise, run, that is, the data of some applications or services. The reaction of the browser to some of them may be a request to launch a special program or opening it directly on the page.
By analogy with graphic files in this category, the extensions are basically:
X-types are classified as application. With their help, non-standard file types are indicated. These include, for example, archives tar, RAR, FLASH and many others not included in the main list.
Список MIME type постоянно расширяется в связи с the emergence of new technologies, standards and file types. You can view the current list in the latest RFC document updates regarding MIME types.
