Which MIME types are related to file extension ".pkg"?

The .pkg file extension is associated with 2 MIME types:

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

About .pkg Files

PKG files are used in different ways depending on their internal structure and purpose.
They can refer to installer packages or configuration bundles.

Installer Packages: These files may contain a full setup for installing software. They are common on macOS, where a .pkg file holds all the files, scripts, and instructions needed for an installation.
FinalBuilder Actions Packages: The text/xml MIME type indicates that some .pkg files are XML-formatted. These are used by FinalBuilder to automate tasks and define build actions.

The application/octet-stream MIME type shows that a .pkg file can also be a generic binary file. This is used when the file holds non-specific binary data.
Software like macOS Installer, FinalBuilder, or even simple text editors (for XML-based packages) can open these files.
Based on information from FilExt.com, the specific use of a .pkg file depends on how it was created and which application is meant to process it.

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

application/octet-stream, text/xml

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.