What is MIME type "audio/x-midi"?

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

audio/x-midi signals that a file holds MIDI data. It does not contain actual recorded sound. Instead, it stores instructions for synthesizers to generate music.
When a program opens an audio/x-midi file, it reads note, timing, and control data. This lets digital instruments play the music as designed.

Main purpose: It guides software on how to produce musical sounds without storing large audio streams.
Use cases: Digital composing, music editing, interactive applications, and legacy games.
Efficiency: Files are typically very small due to storing instructions, not full audio.
Technical note: The "x-" prefix shows it is a common, non-standard MIME type variant.

Files associated with this MIME type include formats like MIDI, MID, AIFF, AIF, and IEF.
For more details, see MIDI on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.aiff, .midi, .mid, .aif, .ief

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: audio/x-midi

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.aiff, .midi, .mid, .aif, .ief

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.