What is MIME type "text/x-objdump"?

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

The MIME type text/x-objdump signals a text file containing output from the objdump tool.
It is not a standard Internet media type. The x- prefix denotes its experimental or non-registered status.

Files with this MIME type contain disassembled code. They show machine instructions, memory addresses, and symbolic names extracted from binary files.
This output helps developers and analysts inspect how compilers translate source code into machine-level commands.

Used in debugging and reverse engineering tasks.
Aids in system security analysis by revealing low-level code details.
Helps programmers understand binary file structures.

The output is plain text and can be viewed in any text editor. For more details on the objdump tool, check this resource: Objdump on Wikipedia.
If you save this output as a text file, it often uses the TXT file extension.

Associated file extensions

.objdump

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: text/x-objdump

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

.objdump

FAQs

What is the text/x-objdump MIME type used for?

The MIME type text/x-objdump represents files containing the output from the GNU objdump utility. These files contain disassembled machine code, memory addresses, and instruction mnemonics used by developers to analyze and debug binary executables.

How do I open a file with the .objdump extension?

Since the content is formatted as plain text, you can open these files in any text editor such as Notepad, Vim, or VS Code. Although the data is technical, specialized software is not required just to view the text content.

How do I configure Apache to serve .objdump files?

To ensure your Apache server delivers these files with the correct MIME type, add the following line to your .htaccess file or main configuration: AddType text/x-objdump .objdump. Alternatively, you can force them to display as plain text using AddType text/plain .objdump to ensure better browser compatibility.

Why does the MIME type start with 'x-'?

The x- prefix indicates that text/x-objdump is a non-standard or experimental media type not officially registered with the IANA. It is a custom identifier used to distinguish objdump output from standard generic text files.

Will web browsers display text/x-objdump files automatically?

Most browsers will download the file by default because they do not recognize the specific subtype x-objdump. To force the browser to display the content inline, the server should send the header Content-Disposition: inline or serve the file as text/plain.

How can I generate an objdump file?

You can generate this file on Linux or Unix-like systems using the command line. For example, running objdump -d binary_file > output.objdump will disassemble the target binary and save the output to a file.

Are files with this MIME type dangerous?

No, files served as text/x-objdump are passive text files and cannot execute code. However, they reveal low-level details about an application's architecture, which is useful for both debugging and security analysis.

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.