Common File Extensions Types
Files Types and Formats Filename
Files extensions are usually noted in parentheses if they differ from the format name or abbreviation.
In theory, using the basic Latin alphabet (A–Z) and a three character extension, the number of combinations amounts to 17,576 (26³). If other acceptable characters are included, the maximum number of combinations is 195,112 (26+31)³.
Unix-like systems don’t have extensions, and Microsoft Windows NT, 95, 98, and Me don’t have a three character limit on extensions for 32-bit or 64-bit applications on file systems other than pre-Windows 95/Windows NT 3.5 versions of the FAT file system, so some file system types are given extensions longer than three characters.
ZSoft IBM PC Paintbrush file format. One of the oldest bitmapped formats popularized by MS-DOS paint programs that first appeared in the early 1980’s.
.pdf Portable Document File format. Adobe document reader that allows portability. Often used on the Web for better control of page layout.
.pds
Text Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .doc | Microsoft Word Document |
| .docx | Microsoft Word Open XML Document |
| .log | Log File |
| .msg | Outlook Mail Message |
| .pages | Pages Document |
| .rtf | Rich Text Format File |
| .txt | Plain Text File |
| .wpd | WordPerfect Document |
| .wps | Microsoft Works Word Processor Document |
Data Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .csv | Comma Separated Values File |
| .dat | Data File |
| .efx | eFax Document |
| .gbr | Gerber File |
| .key | Keynote Presentation |
| .pps | PowerPoint Slide Show |
| .ppt | PowerPoint Presentation |
| .pptx | PowerPoint Open XML Presentation |
| .sdf | Standard Data File |
| .tax2010 | TurboTax 2010 Tax Return |
| .vcf | vCard File |
| .xml | XML File |
Audio File Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .aif | Audio Interchange File Format |
| .iff | Interchange File Format |
| .m3u | Media Playlist File |
| .m4a | MPEG-4 Audio File |
| .mid | MIDI File |
| .mp3 | MP3 Audio File |
| .mpa | MPEG-2 Audio File |
| .ra | Real Audio File |
| .wav | WAVE Audio File |
| .wma | Windows Media Audio File |
Video Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .3g2 | 3GPP2 Multimedia File |
| .3gp | 3GPP Multimedia File |
| .asf | Advanced Systems Format File |
| .asx | Microsoft ASF Redirector File |
| .avi | Audio Video Interleave File |
| .flv | Flash Video File |
| .mov | Apple QuickTime Movie |
| .mp4 | MPEG-4 Video File |
| .mpg | MPEG Video File |
| .rm | Real Media File |
| .swf | Shockwave Flash Movie |
| .vob | DVD Video Object File |
| .wmv | Windows Media Video File |
3D Image Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .3dm | Rhino 3D Model |
| .max | 3ds Max Scene File |
Raster Image Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .bmp | Bitmap Image File |
| .gif | Graphical Interchange Format File |
| .jpg | JPEG Image File |
| .png | Portable Network Graphic |
| .psd | Adobe Photoshop Document |
| .pspimage | PaintShop Pro Image |
| .thm | Thumbnail Image File |
| .tif | Tagged Image File |
| .yuv | YUV Encoded Image File |
Vector Image Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .ai | Adobe Illustrator File |
| .drw | Drawing File |
| .eps | Encapsulated PostScript File |
| .ps | PostScript File |
| .svg | Scalable Vector Graphics File |
Page Layout Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .indd | Adobe InDesign Document |
| .pct | Picture File |
| Portable Document Format File | |
| .qxd | QuarkXPress Document |
| .qxp | QuarkXPress Project File |
| .rels | Open Office XML Relationships File |
Spreadsheet Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .xlr | Works Spreadsheet |
| .xls | Excel Spreadsheet |
| .xlsx | Microsoft Excel Open XML Spreadsheet |
Database Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .accdb | Access 2007 Database File |
| .db | Database File |
| .dbf | Database File |
| .mdb | Microsoft Access Database |
| .pdb | Program Database |
| .sql | Structured Query Language Data |
Executable Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .app | Mac OS X Application |
| .bat | DOS Batch File |
| .cgi | Common Gateway Interface Script |
| .com | DOS Command File |
| .exe | Windows Executable File |
| .gadget | Windows Gadget |
| .jar | Java Archive File |
| .pif | Program Information File |
| .vb | VBScript File |
| .wsf | Windows Script File |
Game Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .gam | Saved Game File |
| .nes | Nintendo (NES) ROM File |
| .rom | N64 Game ROM File |
| .sav | Saved Game |
CAD Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .dwg | AutoCAD Drawing Database File |
| .dxf | Drawing Exchange Format File |
GIS Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .gpx | GPS Exchange File |
| .kml | Keyhole Markup Language File |
Web Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .asp | Active Server Page |
| .cer | Internet Security Certificate |
| .csr | Certificate Signing Request File |
| .css | Cascading Style Sheet |
| .htm | Hypertext Markup Language File |
| .html | Hypertext Markup Language File |
| .js | JavaScript File |
| .jsp | Java Server Page |
| .php | Hypertext Preprocessor File |
| .rss | Rich Site Summary |
| .xhtml | Extensible Hypertext Markup Language File |
Plugin Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .8bi | Photoshop Plug-in |
| .plugin | Mac OS X Plug-in |
| .xll | Excel Add-In File |
Font Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .fnt | Windows Font File |
| .fon | Generic Font File |
| .otf | OpenType Font |
| .ttf | TrueType Font |
System Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .cab | Windows Cabinet File |
| .cpl | Windows Control Panel Item |
| .cur | Windows Cursor |
| .dll | Dynamic Link Library |
| .dmp | Windows Memory Dump |
| .drv | Device Driver |
| .lnk | File Shortcut |
| .sys | Windows System File |
Settings Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .cfg | Configuration File |
| .ini | Windows Initialization File |
| .keychain | Mac OS X Keychain File |
| .prf | Outlook Profile File |
Encoded Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .bin | Macbinary Encoded File |
| .hqx | BinHex 4.0 Encoded File |
| .mim | Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Message File |
| .uue | Uuencoded File |
Compressed Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .7z | 7-Zip Compressed File |
| .deb | Debian Software Package |
| .gz | Gnu Zipped Archive |
| .pkg | Mac OS X Installer Package |
| .rar | WinRAR Compressed Archive |
| .rpm | Red Hat Package Manager File |
| .sit | StuffIt Archive |
| .sitx | StuffIt X Archive |
| .tar.gz | Tarball File |
| .zip | Zipped File |
| .zipx | Extended Zip File |
Disk Image Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .dmg | Mac OS X Disk Image |
| .iso | Disc Image File |
| .toast | Toast Disc Image |
| .vcd | Virtual CD |
Developer Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .c | C/C++ Source Code File |
| .class | Java Class File |
| .cpp | C++ Source Code File |
| .cs | Visual C# Source Code File |
| .dtd | Document Type Definition File |
| .fla | Adobe Flash Animation |
| .java | Java Source Code File |
| .m | Objective-C Implementation File |
| .pl | Perl Script |
| .py | Python Script |
Backup Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .bak | Backup File |
| .gho | Norton Ghost Backup File |
| .ori | Original File |
| .tmp | Temporary File |
Misc Files Types and Formats |
|
|---|---|
| .dbx | Outlook Express E-mail Folder |
| .msi | Windows Installer Package |
| .part | Partially Downloaded File |
| .torrent | BitTorrent File |
Some of the popular Image File Extensions Type used for web
.GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) files use a maximum of 256 colors, and are best for displaying noncontinuous-tone images or those with large areas of flat colors, such as navigation bars, buttons, icons, logos, or other images with uniform colors and tones.
.JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file format is the superior format for photographic or continuous-tone images, because JPEG files can contain millions of colors. As the quality of a JPEG file increases, so does the file size and the file download time. You can often strike a good balance between the quality of the image and the file size by compressing a JPEG file.
.PNG (Portable Network Group) file format is a patent-free replacement for GIFs that includes support for indexed-color, grayscale, and true-color images, and alpha channel support for transparency. PNG is the native file format of Macromedia Fireworks MX. PNG files retain all the original layer, vector, color, and effects information (such as drop shadows), and all elements are fully editable at all times. Files must have the .png file extension to be recognized as PNG files by Macromedia Dreamweaver MX.
.TIF, .TIFF Tagged Image File Format. Used to exchange documets between different applications and platforms. ….
.pbm Portable Bitmap file format. A lowest common denominator monochrome file format originally designed to make it reasonable to mail bitmaps between different types of machines. Now it serves as the common language of a large family of bitmap conversion filters.
.pcd Kodak Photo CD file format. Used to store scanned photos. Each .pcd file contains a number of scans of the same image at different resolutions.
.pct Picture format. Popular Macintosh graphics format used with page layout and graphics applications for transferring documents between applications. See .pic, .pict.
.pcx Planetary Data System format. Created by the Planetary Branch of NASA to store solar, lunar, and planetary data collected both on Earth and by spacecraft.
.pic, .pict Picture file format. This format is popular with many image programs, including Lotus PIC Graphics, Micrografx Draw!, Pegasus Imaging Corporation, and Video Show.
.psd Native bitmap file format of the Adobe Photoshop graphical editing application.
.ps, .psid PostScript file format.
.psp Paint Shop Pro image file.
.pub Native file format of Microsoft Publisher, a program that aids in creating publishing materials.
.pict Picture file format. Popular Macintosh graphics format used with page layout and graphics applications for transferring documents between applications.
.pif Program Information File format. Stores additional information about executables that are foreign to the running multitasking system such as ressource usage, keyboard and mouse virtualization and hotkeys.
.pit Macintosh PackIt format. Archives that were pioneers in Macintosh file compression and archiving but today are obsolete.
.pnt MacPaint format. Similar to PC paint applications.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_formats