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

AZW file extension

Amazon Kindle eBook File

eBook Files

CFG file extension

Configuration File

Settings Files

CPP file extension

C++ Source Code File

Developer Files

DB file extension

Database File

Database Files

DLL file extension

Dynamic Link Library

System Files

ICS file extension

iCalendar File

Misc Files

LNK file extension

Windows File Shortcut

System Files

NES file extension

Nintendo (NES) ROM File

Game Files

ODT file extension

OpenDocument Text Document

Text Files

RPM file extension

Red Hat Package Manager File

Compressed Files

SQL file extension

Structured Query Language Data File

Database Files

TEX file extension

LaTeX Source Document

Text Files

TGA file extension

Targa Graphic

Raster Image Files

XLR file extension

Works Spreadsheet

Spreadsheet Files