computer code what are all the different file types?

What do different file types mean?

File types, also known as file extensions at the end of a file name (like .txt, .jpg, .doc, etc.), tell your computer how to open and interpret a file.

They indicate what kind of data is stored inside the file, whether it’s text, images, audio, video, or other types of information. This allows your computer to open an appropriate programme to handle the file. For example, Adobe would open a PDF or Microsoft Word would open a .docx or .doc file ready to read and/or edit.

Here are the most common file types:

Text Files

  • TXT: Plain text documents, often used for simple text storage and editing. 
  • HTML/HTM: Hypertext Markup Language files (mostly used for web page structure). 
  • DOC/DOCX: Microsoft Word documents, containing text, images and page formatting. 
  • RTF: Rich Text Format, supporting more complex text formatting than TXT. 
  • PDF: Portable Document Format, a standardised file format for sharing documents that preserve formatting. 

Image Files

Raster Image Formats (A raster image, also known as a bitmap image, is an image composed of a grid of pixels, where each pixel has a colour or value. Raster images are commonly used for photographs, scanned images, and other images that require detailed colour and tonal information).

  • JPEG/JPG: A lossy compression format that balances image quality and file size, making it popular for web use and photographs. These images are usually small enough to email or upload to a blog without maxing out storage or speed.
  • PNG: A lossless format (doesn’t degrade in quality with compression) that supports transparency and is commonly used for web graphics and images with sharp lines. PNGs are good for Facebook posts (Facebook has a habit of hyper-compressing images, making cover photos or logos appear grainy).
  • GIF: A lossless format that supports animations and transparency, often used for simple web graphics and animations. You’ll know these from WhatsApp and Faceboook Messenger…
  • TIFF: A lossless format that offers high image quality and is commonly used for professional printing and archiving. 
  • WebP: A modern format developed by Google that offers both lossless and lossy compression, smaller file sizes than JPEG and PNG, and supports animation, making it a good choice for web images. 
  • BMP: An uncompressed bitmap format that offers high image quality but can result in large file sizes. 
  • RAW: A format that preserves the original image data from a camera, offering the most flexibility for editing and processing. 
  • HEIF: A modern format that offers high efficiency and quality, often used for mobile devices and photography. 

Vector Image Formats (A vector image is an image created using mathematical formulas to represent shapes, lines, and curves, rather than individual pixels. This means that the image can be scaled up or down without any loss of quality, as the computer can re-render the image based on the mathematical formulas. Vector images are often used for logos, illustrations, and icons because they can be scaled to any size without losing clarity).

  • SVG: A scalable vector graphics format that is commonly used for web graphics and logos. 
  • EPS: An encapsulated PostScript format that is commonly used for graphics and logos. 
  • PDF: A portable document format that can store images, text, and other content. 
  • AI: An Adobe Illustrator document format. 
  • PSD: A Photoshop document format. 

Audio Files

1. Uncompressed Audio: 

  • WAV (Waveform Audio File Format): A widely used, uncompressed format that maintains high audio quality but results in larger file sizes. 
  • AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format): Another uncompressed format, similar to WAV, often used in the Apple ecosystem. 
  • PCM (Pulse-code Modulation): The underlying encoding method for many audio formats, including WAV and AIFF. 

2. Lossless Audio:

  • FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec): Offers lossless compression, preserving audio quality while reducing file size compared to WAV. 
  • ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec): Apple’s lossless format, designed for high-quality audio within the Apple ecosystem. 

3. Lossy Audio:

  • MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3): A popular lossy format known for its efficient compression, resulting in smaller file sizes but some audio quality loss. 
  • AAC (Advanced Audio Coding): Another lossy format, generally offering better quality than MP3 at similar bitrates. 
  • Ogg Vorbis: An open-source lossy format that provides a good balance between quality and file size. 
  • WMA (Windows Media Audio): A Microsoft-developed lossy format, often used for streaming and media playback. 

Video Files:

  • MP4: A widely used and compatible format for various devices and platforms. 
  • AVI: A classic format known for its high quality, but can be larger in file size. 
  • MOV: Developed by Apple for QuickTime Player, commonly used for video editing and offers high quality. 
  • WMV: A format developed by Microsoft for streaming and playback on Windows devices. 
  • MKV: A versatile container format that can support multiple codecs and formats. 
  • WebM: An open-source format designed for web-based video streaming and playback. 
  • FLV: A format often used for online video streaming, particularly on platforms like YouTube. 
  • MPEG (MPG): A group of standards for digital video compression. 
  • 3GP: A format designed for mobile phones and other portable devices. 

Other File Types:

  • XLS/XLSX: Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, used for storing and manipulating data in tables. 
  • ZIP/RAR: Compressed archives, used for compressing files and folders for easier storage and transfer. 
  • EXE: Executable files, programs that can be run on a computer. 
  • JS: JavaScript files, used for creating interactive web pages. 

Understanding file types helps you (but mostly it helps your computer) know which programs to use to open and edit files, as well as how the data within the file is stored. 

It also dictates appropriate use of a file in its final form. For example, a JPEG is ideal for sharing in an email, whereas a PNG is used w

About the Author

Catherine Jarvis Clothier is a digital marketer and online presence specialist living and working in Kent, UK. She has worked in unusual UK businesses for over 10 years across the South of England, particularly in automotive and therapy-based enterprises. Catherine specialises in social media, SEO and web design. She can be contacted here for online business consultations.

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