Which MIME types are related to file extension ".m"?
The .m file extension is associated with 12 MIME types:
text/x-objcsrc, text/x-mumps, text/x-octave, text/x-forth, text/x-mathematica, text/x-objectivec, application/octet-stream, text/plain, text/x-objective-c, application/x-mason, text/octave, text/matlab.
A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.
About .m Files
M files are used in different computing contexts and can hold various types of code or data.
They are mostly plain text files that reveal their purpose through the content and associated MIME type. According to FilExt.com, the extension is ambiguous and its use depends on the environment.
- Objective-C Source Code: These files use MIME types like text/x-objcsrc or text/x-objective-c and are edited with tools such as Apple's Xcode or other text editors.
- MATLAB/Octave Scripts: Commonly called M-Files, these store functions and scripts for numerical computing. They use MIME types like text/matlab, text/octave, or text/x-octave and are opened by MATLAB or GNU Octave.
- Mathematica Code: Some .m files contain code for Mathematica, indicated by text/x-mathematica.
- MUMPS Programs: The text/x-mumps MIME type suggests use in the M language, often found in specialized systems.
- Mason Templates: With the MIME type application/x-mason, these files support web templating in Perl-based applications.
- Other Uses: They might also serve as plain text scripts (e.g., Twist Mailmerge with text/plain) or even as binary data (like the Maple Common Binary for Amiga with application/octet-stream).
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
text/x-objcsrc, text/x-mumps, text/x-octave, text/x-forth, text/x-mathematica, text/x-objectivec, application/octet-stream, text/plain, text/x-objective-c, application/x-mason, text/octave, text/matlab
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.