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

DBF file extension

Database File

Database Files

DXF file extension

Drawing Exchange Format File

CAD Files

EPUB file extension

Open eBook File

eBook Files

FLA file extension

Adobe Flash Animation

Developer Files

HTML file extension

Hypertext Markup Language File

Web Files

JPG file extension

JPEG Image

Raster Image Files

MID file extension

MIDI File

Audio Files

MIM file extension

Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Message File

Encoded Files

MSI file extension

Windows Installer Package

Misc Files

PL file extension

Perl Script

Developer Files

PSD file extension

Adobe Photoshop Document

Raster Image Files

SRT file extension

SubRip Subtitle File

Video Files

TEX file extension

LaTeX Source Document

Text Files

UUE file extension

Uuencoded File

Encoded Files

WPD file extension

WordPerfect Document

Text Files