What is MIME type "text/tab-separated-values"?

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

text/tab-separated-values is a MIME type for plain text files that hold tabular data. It separates each data field with a tab character. This layout makes it easy to view and edit data using simple text editors.

It is mainly used for organizing spreadsheet-like data. Programs use it to import and export table data. Its structure supports straightforward data exchange and analysis across various applications.

• Main use case: Storing and exchanging organized data in a plain text format.
• Key facts:
  • The tab character defines separate data fields.
  • It is human-readable and widely supported by data analysis tools.

Files using this MIME type often use extensions such as TSV or TAB. In some cases, specialized implementations use the format with a CED extension, typically for EEGLAB channel data.

For official details, visit the IANA MIME Type Registry.

Associated file extensions

.tsv, .tab, .ced

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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

    Content-Type: text/tab-separated-values    
  

HTML

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

    <a href="file.dat" type="text/tab-separated-values">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/tab-separated-values');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);    
  

Associated file extensions

.tsv, .tab, .ced