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

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

The MIME type audio/x-mpegurl marks a file as a playlist for streaming audio. It indicates that the file contains text instructions, not the audio data itself, and lists the paths or URLs where the audio files are located.
For instance, media players use playlists in M3U or M3U8 formats when they need to stream multiple audio tracks sequentially.

• Main use: To manage and organize streaming audio sources.
• Technical role: It tells a media player where to go for the actual audio files.
• Versatility: Works with local file paths as well as remote URLs.

This file type is key in scenarios like internet radio and multimedia streaming. It ensures that media players load all the necessary tracks from a single, simple text file.
Check out more details on MDN Web Docs.

Associated file extensions

.m3u, .m3u8

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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

    Content-Type: audio/x-mpegurl
  

HTML

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

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

Associated file extensions

.m3u, .m3u8