<file format> The kind of data stored in a file. Most modern
operating systems use the filename extension to determine
the file type though some store this information elsewhere in
the file system. The file type is used to choose an
appropriate icon to represent the file in a GUI and the
correct application with which to view, edit, run, or print
the file.
Different operating systems support different sets of file
types though most agree on a large common set and allow
arbitrary new types to be defined.
See also MIME.
FileInfo.net - The File Extensions Resource
(2006-07-11)
Nearby terms:
Filesystem Hierarchy Standard « file transfer « File Transfer Protocol « file type » filing system » filk » fill-out form
