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

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

application/x-thrift identifies files that define services and data structures used by Apache Thrift.
This MIME type signals that the file contains code meant for cross-language communication and remote procedure calls.
Files with this MIME type often store the definitions needed to generate client and server code. For example, a file such as THRIFT holds these descriptions.

Service Interface Definition: It details the data types and service functions.
Cross-Language Communication: It allows code to be generated in many programming languages, facilitating interactions between systems built on different platforms.
Efficient Data Serialization: It supports binary protocols for fast, compact data exchange.

This MIME type is essential in projects where distributed systems need to communicate efficiently. For more technical details, visit the Apache Thrift official website.

Associated file extensions

.thrift

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-thrift

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.thrift

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.