File extensions – definition and basic information


File extensions are the integral parts of the files that are on each computer. Often, when working on a computer, we encounter a wide range of files, such as docx, ppt, part, mp3 or rmvb. We realize that they are there – but we often do not know what they are for on our computer.

File extension, also known as the filename extension is a suffix added to the name of a computer file, usually consisting of a number of characters placed after the last dot in the filename, which gives us information about its coding. In other words a file extension is a file format. It allows the operating system (e.g. Windows) to recognize what program it should try to open the file.

In the table below you will find a random selection of popular file extensions.


File extension The full name of the file Category

7Z file extension

7-Zip Compressed File

Compressed Files

DBF file extension

Database File

Database Files

APK file extension

Android Package File

Executable Files

DEB file extension

Debian Software Package

Compressed Files

VOB file extension

DVD Video Object File

Video Files

RAR file extension

WinRAR Compressed Archive

Compressed Files

JAR file extension

Java Archive File

Executable Files

EXE file extension

Windows Executable File

Executable Files

C file extension

C/C++ Source Code File

Developer Files

DMP file extension

Windows Memory Dump

System Files

DOC# file extension

Microsoft Word Document

Text Files

PY file extension

Python Script

Developer Files

M file extension

Objective-C Implementation File

Developer Files

BIN file extension

Binary Disc Image

Disk Image Files

DEM file extension

Video Game Demo File

Game Files