Which MIME types are related to file extension ".bigwig"?
The .bigwig file extension is associated with 1 MIME types:
A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.
About .bigwig Files
BIGWIG files are binary files designed for storing genomic data tracks. They hold quantitative information mapped along chromosomes.
Their MIME type is application/octet-stream, which shows they are generic binary files optimized for rapid data access.
- Primary Use Case: Fast display of genome-wide data tracks in genome browsers.
- Other Uses: Archiving and processing genomic signal data from experiments such as RNA-Seq or ChIP-Seq.
- Software Support: Open with applications like UCSC Genome Browser, Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV), and Galaxy.
Based on information from BIGWIG, the file format is engineered to quickly retrieve and visualize subsets of data without loading the entire file. This is especially useful for handling large genomic datasets efficiently.
Relationship between file extension and MIME type
A file extension is a suffix at the end of a filename that indicates what type of file it is. File extensions help both users and operating systems identify what application should be used to open the file.
File extensions are typically separated from the filename by a period (dot) and consist of 2-4 characters, though they can be longer. For example, in the filename "document.pdf", ".pdf" is the file extension.
File extensions are closely related to MIME types, as they both serve to identify the format of a file. However, while MIME types are used primarily by web browsers and servers, file extensions are used by operating systems and applications.
Associated MIME types
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 can one extension have multiple MIME types?
Different programs and historical usage may assign various MIME identifiers to the same file format. Listing them together helps maintain compatibility across tools.