What is MIME type "application/pgp"?

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

application/pgp is a MIME type used by PGP tools for encryption, decryption, and digital signing. It marks files that contain data processed by public key cryptography systems.
This data can be keys, encrypted messages, or signed documents.

It is commonly associated with files holding security details such as:

• Encryption: Protect sensitive data so that only intended users can read it.
• Key Distribution: Carry public keys safely for verifying signatures and encrypting messages.
• Digital Signatures: Ensure data integrity and confirm the sender’s authenticity.
• Interoperability: Work with various software implementations of PGP, like GnuPG.

This MIME type is used with files like PUB and ASC, which generally store public key information, and PGP files that contain encrypted data.
They help computers and applications know how to process and handle PGP-protected data securely.

Associated file extensions

.pub, .asc, .pgp

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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

    Content-Type: application/pgp
  

HTML

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

    <a href="file.dat" type="application/pgp">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/pgp');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);
  

Associated file extensions

.pub, .asc, .pgp