What is MIME type "image/x-sun-raster"?

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

image/x-sun-raster is a MIME type used for a basic raster image format. It was developed for Sun workstations and Unix systems.

The format stores images as a simple grid of pixels. A header holds data such as width, height, and color depth. The image data follows in a straightforward layout. This simplicity lets many legacy tools read or convert the images easily.

Files using this type often have extensions like SCR, RAS, RS, SR, IM1, SUN, IM8, IM24, IM32, and RAST.

Image Display: It specifies how images should be rendered by applications and browsers.
Legacy Systems: It is common in older Unix environments and Sun OS.
Conversion: Graphics tools use it as a source to convert images into modern formats like PNG or JPEG.

Its use in web servers signals the browser to treat the file as image data. Though not as popular today, the format is still supported by many image processing programs. For more detail, see Sun Raster on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.scr, .ras, .rs, .sr, .im1, .sun, .im8, .im24, .im32, .rast

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: image/x-sun-raster

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="image/x-sun-raster">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'image/x-sun-raster');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.scr, .ras, .rs, .sr, .im1, .sun, .im8, .im24, .im32, .rast

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 are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.