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

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

application/x-erb identifies files that mix HTML and Ruby code. These files are preprocessed on the server to embed dynamic Ruby output into static HTML.
This MIME type tells the system to run Ruby code inside the document before sending it to the browser.
It is most often used in web templating systems, especially in Ruby-based frameworks.

Web templating: It enables dynamic content generation by combining server code with HTML.
Server-side preprocessing: The Ruby code is executed to produce plain HTML.
Integration: Common in frameworks like Ruby on Rails, which use such templates for rendering views.

Files using this type include those with the ERB extension, as well as those using RHTML and ERB.DEFACE. Note that the prefix x- indicates it is non-standard or experimental.
For additional details on MIME types and their use, visit this reference.

Associated file extensions

.erb, .rhtml, .erb.deface

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-erb

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.erb, .rhtml, .erb.deface

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.