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

CBR file extension

Comic Book RAR Archive

Compressed Files

DAT file extension

Data File

Data Files

DBF file extension

Database File

Database Files

EPUB file extension

Open eBook File

eBook Files

GADGET file extension

Windows Gadget

Executable Files

GBR file extension

Gerber File

Data Files

IFF file extension

Interchange File Format

Audio Files

JAVA file extension

Java Source Code File

Developer Files

MIM file extension

Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Message File

Encoded Files

MSI file extension

Windows Installer Package

Misc Files

PS file extension

PostScript File

Vector Image Files

PY file extension

Python Script

Developer Files

TIFF file extension

Tagged Image File Format

Raster Image Files