File Types and Uses
File Name of Media Attributes Uses
Extension Extension Type
.TXT Text Text Uncompressed, no formatting, letters and Batch files, notes, DOS commands
numbers.
.DOC, DOCX, Microsoft Word Text Formatted text, letters, number, WYSIWIG, Notes, documentation, organization
DOCT Documents (mostly) compressed,
.AAC, M4A, iTunes Audio Compressed, variable bitrates, sound file, Secure audio transfer, digital rights management,
M4P, M4B digital conversion to analog leisure.
JPG JPEG JPEG Compressed, rasterised Images on the Net, compression method.
image3
AVI Audio Video Video Compression format, variable frame and Video file compression methods
Interleave bit rate, audio and frames per second,
colour depth
MP3 Moving Pictures Audio Compressed, variable bitrates, sound file, Compressed portable standard for audio files.
Expert Group digital conversion to analog
GIF Graphics Image Compressed, rasterised, can be animated Images on the Net, compression method and
Interchange animations.
format
PNG Portable Image Compressed, rasterised, can be animated, Images on the net which are put on top of
Network transparency backgrounds, compression method and
Graphic transparency support.
MOV, QT Quick Time Video Compression format, variable frame and A QuickTime only movie standard
bit rate, audio and frames per second,
colour depth
PDF Portable Text Mostly Compressed text, letters, numbers, images, A Document type for non editable documents.
Document formatted
Format
PSD Photoshop Mostly A mixture of images, text, numbers, layers, Photoshop standard file which saves all setting for
Document Image gradients, transparency the edited image
WMF Windows Meta Image Compressed, rasterised
File
WMA Windows Media Audio Compressed, variable bitrates, sound file, Compressed portable standard for audio files.
Audio digital conversion to analog
WMV Windows Media Video Compression format, variable frame and Compressed portable standard for video files.
Video bit rate, audio and frames per second,
colour depth
MPG Moving Pictures Video Compression format, variable frame and Compressed portable standard for video files, with
MPEG Expert Group bit rate, audio and frames per second, higher quality.
colour depth
TIFF Tagged Image Image Compressed, rasterised, can be animated Compressed image standard.
file format
HTML Hypertext Mixed Formatted text, letters, number, markup The backbone for the internet. A markup language
HTM markup language. which allows text to be read and formatted on the
language net.
ASP PHP: Hypertext Mixed Formatted text, letters, number, markup A markup language which allows text to be read
PHP Preprocessor language. and formatted on the net.
ASPX Active Server
pages
CSV Comma Mostly Text Text, letters, number, markup language. Plain text values separated by commas which allow
Separated Value a database to read and write files to tables (rows
and columns)
RTF Rich Text Mostly Text Formatted text, letters, number, markup Notes, documentation, organization
Format language.
FLV, FLA, Flash Video File Video, Compression format, variable frame and Compressed portable standard for video files, with
SWF animation bit rate, audio and frames per second, very low quality.
colour depth
XLS, XLT Microsoft excel Mostly Text Formatted text, letters, number, WYSIWIG Tabular data used for a variety of mathematical
,XLX and statistical calculations.
MAX, 3DS 3D Max 3D Models Compression format, variable frame and 3D modeling standard used to model and create
bit rate, audio and frames per second, 3D references.
colour depth faces, modeling, 3d
WAV Uncompressed Audio uncompressed, variable bitrates, sound Uncompressed sound file used for recording.
Audio file, digital conversion to analog
EMP Pre Processed Image Compressed, rasterised Pre processed image file which calculates all
image printing needs before the file has been sent to
print, usually used in big printing companies.
BMP Bitmap Image Compressed, rasterised Uncompressed rasterised high quality image
format.
CSS Cascading Style Mostly Text Text, letters, number, markup language. Used to predefine colour schemes for websites.
sheets (code)