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

BAT file extension

DOS Batch File

Executable Files

BMP file extension

Bitmap Image File

Raster Image Files

CS file extension

Visual C# Source Code File

Developer Files

H file extension

C/C++/Objective-C Header File

Developer Files

ODT file extension

OpenDocument Text Document

Text Files

PDF file extension

Portable Document Format File

Layout Files

PL file extension

Perl Script

Developer Files

TGA file extension

Targa Graphic

Raster Image Files

TIF file extension

Tagged Image File

Raster Image Files

VB file extension

VBScript File

Executable Files

VOB file extension

DVD Video Object File

Video Files

WMV file extension

Windows Media Video File

Video Files

WPS file extension

Microsoft Works Word Processor Document

Text Files

WSF file extension

Windows Script File

Executable Files

3DS file extension

3D Studio Scene

3D Image Files