Which MIME types are related to file extension ".pbm"?
The .pbm file extension is associated with 4 MIME types:
image/x-portable-bitmap, image/x-portable-anymap, image/x-portable-graymap, image/x-portable-pixmap.
A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.
About .pbm Files
PBM files are simple black and white images that belong to the Netpbm format family.
They use the MIME type image/x-portable-bitmap, which marks them as portable bitmaps.
These files hold only two colors—typically black and white—with a plain structure that makes them easy to read and process.
Other related MIME types in the Netpbm family include image/x-portable-anymap, image/x-portable-graymap, and image/x-portable-pixmap.
Each serves a similar purpose; they represent binary, grayscale, or full-color images in a uniform way.
- Simplicity: The file structure is minimal, often using ASCII headers and simple data encoding.
- Compatibility: Many image tools such as ImageMagick, GIMP, IrfanView, and XnView can open and convert PBM files.
- Usage: Common in printing processes, scanning utilities, and conversion tasks where color depth is not critical.
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
image/x-portable-bitmap, image/x-portable-anymap, image/x-portable-graymap, image/x-portable-pixmap
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.