What is MIME type "application/vnd.comicbook+cbz"?

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

MIME type application/vnd.comicbook+cbz is used for comic book archives stored in a ZIP container. It holds image files that form the pages of a comic.

This format is common among comic reader applications and supports smooth page navigation.

Digital Comics: It organizes images to be viewed sequentially.
Compression: It uses ZIP compression to reduce file size.
Portability: Files can easily be transferred across devices.

Files with this MIME type usually have the extension CBZ. They open in viewers that support digital comic books.

Learn more from resources like Filext for additional technical details.

Associated file extensions

.cbz

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/vnd.comicbook+cbz

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.cbz

FAQs

What software is required to open files with the application/vnd.comicbook+cbz MIME type?

You need a dedicated digital comic book reader to view these files properly. Popular options include CDisplayEx for Windows, YACReader for macOS/Linux, and apps like Perfect Viewer for Android. Since the format is an archive, you can also rename the extension to .zip and extract the images manually.

How do I configure Apache or Nginx to serve CBZ files?

To ensure browsers handle the file correctly, you must register the MIME type. For Apache, add AddType application/vnd.comicbook+cbz .cbz to your .htaccess or config file. For Nginx, add application/vnd.comicbook+cbz cbz; inside the types block of your mime.types file.

What is the difference between CBZ and CBR files?

The difference lies in the compression algorithm used for the container. application/vnd.comicbook+cbz uses standard ZIP compression, whereas CBR files use RAR compression. While both serve the same purpose for digital comics, CBZ is often preferred by developers because ZIP libraries are natively supported by most operating systems.

Can web browsers display application/vnd.comicbook+cbz files natively?

No, standard web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge do not render CBZ files natively and will usually prompt the user to download the file. To display a comic directly in a browser, developers must use JavaScript libraries (such as jszip) to unpack the archive and render the images on a canvas or HTML page.

Why does IIS return a 404 error when accessing a .cbz file?

Microsoft IIS blocks unknown file extensions by default for security reasons. To fix this, you must open the MIME Types feature in the IIS Manager and add a new entry with the extension .cbz and the MIME type application/vnd.comicbook+cbz.

Is a CBZ file just a renamed ZIP file?

Yes, a .cbz file is technically a standard ZIP archive containing image files (usually JPEGs or PNGs). The specific extension helps comic book reader software identify the content immediately and treat it as a sequential book rather than a generic folder of files.

General FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.