What Is the MIME Type Lookup Tool?
The MIME Type Lookup is a fast, interactive reference guide for web developers, API engineers, and server administrators. A MIME type (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), officially standardized by IANA as a Media Type, informs web browsers, HTTP clients, and operating systems how to parse, render, or download incoming data.
When servers transmit web pages, images, or JSON payloads, they send a Content-Type response header.
If this header is missing or misconfigured, browsers may misinterpret assets—refusing to run JavaScript files due
to strict MIME type checking, rendering stylesheets as raw text, or triggering unexpected file download prompts.
This lookup utility provides instant access to official media types, file extensions, and HTTP header snippets.
How to Find File Content Types and Headers
- Filter by Media Class: Select category pills (Text, Application, Image, Audio, Video, Font, Archive) to narrow down to specific file categories.
- Search Instant Lookup: Type any extension with or without leading dot (e.g.
.jsonorjson), media type (e.g.image/webp), or file description. - Inspect Header Snippet: Review the exact HTTP header snippet recommended for production web servers (e.g. Nginx, Apache, Express, Caddy).
- Copy MIME String: Click Copy MIME on any card to copy the standard string directly to your clipboard.
Common MIME Types and Extensions
Web Foundations
.html → text/html.css → text/css.js → text/javascript (RFC 9239)
Structured Data
.json → application/json.csv → text/csv.xml → text/xml
Modern Web Images
.png → image/png.webp → image/webp.svg → image/svg+xml
Web Fonts
.woff2 → font/woff2.woff → font/woff.ttf → font/ttf
Key Features of CodeCrate MIME Type Lookup
Zero Server Overhead
Runs entirely client-side in browser memory with zero tracking and zero latency.
Multi-Field Search
Search seamlessly across file extensions, IANA media type strings, and plain language format descriptions.
Production Header Snippets
Includes complete Content-Type: ...; charset=utf-8 snippets ready for server configuration.
No File Upload Required
Designed strictly as an authoritative reference manual. No need to upload proprietary files to inspect extensions.
Common Web Engineering Use Cases
- HTTP Server Configuration: Configuring Nginx
mime.types, Apache.htaccess, or AWS CloudFront/S3 metadata so static assets receive proper Content-Type headers. - File Upload Validation: Whitelisting permitted media types in HTML form inputs (e.g.
accept="image/png,image/jpeg,application/pdf"). - CORS & REST APIs: Defining accurate
Content-TypeandAcceptrequest headers for JSON, CSV, or XML API payloads. - Blob & Object Storage: Setting required content headers when streaming files to Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Cloudflare R2 buckets.
Technical Notes & RFC Standards
When managing media types in modern distributed systems, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Do Not Rely Solely on Extensions: File extensions can be renamed easily by malicious actors. In server-side file upload workflows, always verify magic byte signatures in addition to header declarations.
- Specify UTF-8 Charset for Text Types: For text-based formats (HTML, CSS, CSV), always include
charset=utf-8to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) encoding bypasses and garbled symbols. - JavaScript MIME Type: RFC 9239 officially designated
text/javascriptas the canonical MIME type. Legacy types likeapplication/javascriptandtext/ecmascriptare deprecated. - Prevent MIME Sniffing: Always send the security header
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniffto prevent browsers from executing non-executable files disguised as images or text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this tool determine the true content of an uploaded file?
No. This tool is strictly a developer reference and lookup guide. It does not inspect local file contents or require uploading documents.
What does application/octet-stream mean?
application/octet-stream is the official fallback MIME type for arbitrary binary data when a specific format is unknown. Browsers typically prompt a file download dialog.
What is the difference between media type and MIME type?
They are synonymous. Originally created for email attachments in RFC 2046 (MIME), the standard was later generalized as "Media Types" for the entire Web ecosystem by IANA.
What is the correct MIME type for SVG icons?
The standard MIME type for SVG images is image/svg+xml.
What is the MIME type for WebP images?
The official standard MIME type for Google WebP graphics is image/webp.
Can I copy the MIME type string directly?
Yes. Simply click Copy MIME on any card to copy the full media type string immediately to your clipboard.