What is MIME type "application/gzip"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

application/gzip is the MIME type for files compressed with the Gzip algorithm. It tells software that the file’s contents are compressed and need decompression before viewing or execution.

Compressed files using this MIME type help save disk space and reduce network transfer times. They are common when archiving data or transferring large text-based files.

• Primary purpose: Compress files to minimize size and optimize transfer.
• Key functionality: Signals programs to use Gzip tools for uncompressing the file.
• Main use cases: Archiving logs, packaging web assets, and creating backups.

Files associated with application/gzip include formats like GZ, EMZ, TGZ, Z, GZIP, and variants like *-GZ.
For further technical details, see Gzip on GNU.

Associated file extensions

.gz, .emz, .tgz, .z, .gzip

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:

    Content-Type: application/gzip
  

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:

    <a href="file.dat" type="application/gzip">Download file</a>
  

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:

    const http = require('http');
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/gzip');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);
  

Associated file extensions

.gz, .emz, .tgz, .z, .gzip