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

The .yaml file extension is associated with 3 MIME types:

text/x-yaml, application/json, application/yaml.

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

About .yaml Files

YAML files are plain text files that store structured data in an easy-to-read format. They are used for configuration, data exchange, and secret management with tools like SOPS.

When a file has the .yaml extension, it normally uses the MIME type text/x-yaml to indicate that it contains YAML source code. In some cases—especially when handled by SOPS—the MIME types application/json or application/yaml may be used to indicate encrypted or specialized content.

Configuration: They store settings for applications like Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD systems.
Data serialization: They pass structured data between programs and services.
Secret management: They are used with SOPS to encrypt sensitive configuration details.

Editors like Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Notepad++, and Atom can open and modify YAML files.

According to FilExt.com, YAML remains a flexible and popular file format for both developers and system administrators.

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-yaml, application/json, application/yaml

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.