What is MIME type "application/x-vnd.oasis.opendocument.text"?

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

application/x-vnd.oasis.opendocument.text is a MIME type for text documents in the OpenDocument format. It uses an open, XML-based structure that is compressed into one file. This makes the format flexible and platform-neutral.

Documents of this type are created and edited with office suites, such as LibreOffice or Apache OpenOffice. They maintain text formatting, embedded images, and styles in a structured way.

Word Processing: Ideal for creating documents with rich text formatting.
Interoperability: Supports cross-platform editing and sharing.
Open Standards: Empowers users to work without vendor lock-in.

Files using this MIME type are generally saved with the extension ODT.

For detailed technical specifications and further reading, see the OpenDocument Format documentation.

Associated file extensions

.odt

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: application/x-vnd.oasis.opendocument.text

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.odt

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.