What is MIME type "application/x-internet-archive"?

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

The MIME type application/x-internet-archive is used for files created using the Internet Archive's version 1.0 format. It indicates that the file bundles multiple digital assets, like web pages or multimedia, into a single archive.

Files marked with this MIME type use the archive extension ARC. This helps software recognize how to process and extract content from the file.

• Main use: Storing and preserving snapshots of websites and online content.
• Other uses: Packaging collections from digital libraries and maintaining metadata with archived files.
• Technical purpose: Enabling proper file identification and extraction in archival and recovery applications.

This MIME type supports digital preservation efforts by ensuring that archived content retains its structure and metadata for future access. For more on digital archiving, visit Internet Archive.

Associated file extensions

.arc

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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

    Content-Type: application/x-internet-archive
  

HTML

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

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

Associated file extensions

.arc