What is MIME type "application/x-bzip3"?

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

application/x-bzip3 is a MIME type that tells your system a file is compressed using the BZip3 algorithm. It mainly indicates that an archive has been compacted to reduce its size.

Files of this kind use the file extension BZ3. A correct MIME type helps software decide how to open or process these archives.

Compression: Saves space by reducing file size.
Data transfer: Makes sending files over networks faster.
Archiving: Groups files together for backups or packaging.

Using application/x-bzip3 ensures compatible tools or utilities can decompress and extract the data properly. For more details on similar compression methods, visit Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.bz3

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-bzip3

HTML

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


    <a href="file.dat" type="application/x-bzip3">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/x-bzip3');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.bz3

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.