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

AVI file extension

Audio Video Interleave File

Video Files

CSV file extension

Comma Separated Values File

Data Files

GBR file extension

Gerber File

Data Files

GZ file extension

Gnu Zipped Archive

Compressed Files

IFF file extension

Interchange File Format

Audio Files

JAR file extension

Java Archive File

Executable Files

LNK file extension

Windows File Shortcut

System Files

MSG file extension

Outlook Mail Message

Text Files

OTF file extension

OpenType Font

Font Files

PAGES file extension

Pages Document

Text Files

PPS file extension

PowerPoint Slide Show

Data Files

ROM file extension

N64 Game ROM File

Game Files

TEX file extension

LaTeX Source Document

Text Files

TIF file extension

Tagged Image File

Raster Image Files

VCXPROJ file extension

Visual C++ Project

Developer Files