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

AIF file extension

Audio Interchange File Format

Audio Files

C file extension

C/C++ Source Code File

Developer Files

CPP file extension

C++ Source Code File

Developer Files

FLA file extension

Adobe Flash Animation

Developer Files

FLV file extension

Flash Video File

Video Files

GIF file extension

Graphical Interchange Format File

Raster Image Files

GZ file extension

Gnu Zipped Archive

Compressed Files

M file extension

Objective-C Implementation File

Developer Files

M3U file extension

Media Playlist File

Audio Files

MAX file extension

3ds Max Scene File

3D Image Files

MIM file extension

Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Message File

Encoded Files

TAR file extension

Consolidated Unix File Archive

Data Files

WAV file extension

WAVE Audio File

Audio Files

WSF file extension

Windows Script File

Executable Files

3DM file extension

Rhino 3D Model

3D Image Files