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

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

application/x-coldfusion is a MIME type for files that contain ColdFusion code.

It is used with ColdFusion Markup Language files (CFM). The code inside these files is processed on the server to build dynamic web pages before they are sent to your browser.

Server-side processing: The ColdFusion engine interprets the code to generate HTML output.
Dynamic content: It supports database interactions, conditional logic, and data manipulation.
Web application development: It offers built-in tags and functions that simplify website creation.

This MIME type helps browsers and servers understand that the file should be executed rather than simply displayed.
For more technical details, check the Adobe ColdFusion page or see the list of IANA Media Types.

Associated file extensions

.cfm

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-coldfusion

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.cfm

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.