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

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

application/x-qpress is the MIME type for files compressed with the Qpress algorithm. These files usually use the format QP.

This type tells your system how to treat the file. It marks the content as an archive that needs special decompression. That way, programs know they must use a Qpress-compatible tool to open or extract the data.

Used to compress large files efficiently
Helps reduce file size for storage or transfer
Supports specific command-line and backup tools
Ensures proper handling by software aware of Qpress compression

For more details, check out this reference.

Associated file extensions

.qp

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-qpress

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.qp

FAQs

What is the application/x-qpress MIME type used for?

The MIME type application/x-qpress represents files compressed using the Qpress file archiver. These files typically carry the .qp extension and are often used for high-speed compression of large data sets, such as database backups.

How do I open or extract a .qp file?

To extract a file with the application/x-qpress type, you generally need the specific qpress command-line utility. Unlike common formats like ZIP, standard GUI archivers (like WinZip or native Windows tools) usually do not support Qpress natively.

Why do my Percona XtraBackup files have this MIME type?

Percona XtraBackup, a popular open-source backup utility for MySQL, often uses the Qpress algorithm to compress backup streams. If you see application/x-qpress, it indicates the backup was created with the --compress option and must be decompressed using qpress before restoration.

How do I configure Apache to serve .qp files correctly?

To ensure browsers or download managers recognize the file type, add the following line to your .htaccess file or Apache configuration: AddType application/x-qpress .qp. This ensures the server sends the correct headers for Qpress archives.

What does the "x-" prefix mean in application/x-qpress?

The x- prefix indicates that this is a non-standard or private MIME type, not yet registered with the IANA standards body. It is used explicitly for the Qpress software ecosystem rather than being a universal standard like application/zip.

Can I convert application/x-qpress files to ZIP?

You cannot convert the file directly without extracting it first. You must use the qpress tool to decompress the content (e.g., qpress -d archive.qp destination/), and then you can re-compress the resulting files into a ZIP archive using your preferred tool.

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.