What is MIME type "text/html"?

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

text/html is a MIME type that tells a browser the file holds HTML content. It instructs the browser to render the content as a web page.
Files using this MIME type are primarily written in HTML and can include scripts, styles, and multimedia.

This type is common with files like HTML, HTM, PHP, JSP, INC, KIT, HTA and more.

Other file types also use this MIME type. They include formats like ST, TML, BS, ECR, XHTML, HTX, XHT, CSHTML, HEEX, HOCR, HTML.EEX, HTML.HL, LEEX, MARKO, MTML, RAZOR, and SVELTE.

Associated file extensions

.html, .htm, .php, .jsp, .inc, .kit, .hta, .st, .tml, .bs, .ecr, .xhtml, .htx, .xht, .cshtml, .heex, .hocr, .html.eex, .html.hl, .leex, .marko, .mtml, .razor, .svelte

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: text/html

HTML

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


    <a href="file.dat" type="text/html">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', 'text/html');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.html, .htm, .php, .jsp, .inc, .kit, .hta, .st, .tml, .bs, .ecr, .xhtml, .htx, .xht, .cshtml, .heex, .hocr, .html.eex, .html.hl, .leex, .marko, .mtml, .razor, .svelte

FAQs

How do I configure Apache or Nginx to serve HTML files correctly?

Most servers handle this by default, but you can configure it explicitly if needed. In Apache, use AddType text/html .html .htm in your .htaccess file. For Nginx, ensure your mime.types file includes the line text/html html htm shtml; within the types block.

Why is my HTML code displaying as raw text in the browser?

This usually happens because the server is sending the file with the text/plain MIME type instead of text/html. To fix this, update your server configuration to map extensions like .html to the correct MIME type so the browser knows to render the tags.

Why is the charset parameter important in the Content-Type header?

Sending Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 ensures that browsers correctly interpret special characters and international symbols. Without a declared charset, browsers may guess the encoding incorrectly, resulting in garbled text or security vulnerabilities.

Why are PHP or JSP files served as text/html?

Although the source files end in .php or .jsp, the server executes the script on the backend and generates a standard HTML response. The server then sends this output to the browser with the text/html header so it renders as a normal web page.

Is it safe to serve user-uploaded files as text/html?

Generally, no. Allowing users to upload files served as text/html introduces a high risk of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). If the file contains malicious scripts, the browser will execute them; it is safer to force a download using Content-Disposition: attachment or use a separate domain for user content.

What is the difference between text/html and application/xhtml+xml?

text/html uses the browser's lenient HTML parser, which attempts to fix syntax errors automatically. Conversely, application/xhtml+xml triggers strict XML parsing; if the document is not well-formed XML, the browser will stop rendering and show an error immediately.

Do modern frontend frameworks like Svelte or Razor use this MIME type?

Yes, ultimately. While developers work with files like .svelte or .razor, these are compiled into standard HTML before or during the server response. The browser receives the final output labeled as text/html.

General 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.