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

DEM file extension

Video Game Demo File

Game Files

DXF file extension

Drawing Exchange Format File

CAD Files

FLA file extension

Adobe Flash Animation

Developer Files

GADGET file extension

Windows Gadget

Executable Files

GIF file extension

Graphical Interchange Format File

Raster Image Files

IFF file extension

Interchange File Format

Audio Files

JAVA file extension

Java Source Code File

Developer Files

MOV file extension

Apple QuickTime Movie

Video Files

PIF file extension

Program Information File

Executable Files

PNG file extension

Portable Network Graphic

Raster Image Files

SAV file extension

Saved Game

Game Files

SLN file extension

Visual Studio Solution File

Developer Files

TMP file extension

Temporary File

Backup Files

TTF file extension

TrueType Font

Font Files