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

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

text/x-ruby is a non-standard MIME type used for files that contain Ruby code.
It signals that a file holds Ruby scripts, libraries, test specifications, and related configuration data. This helps text editors and code-processing tools apply the proper syntax highlighting and execution rules.

Code Execution: Files under this MIME type are meant to be interpreted by Ruby runtimes.
Syntax Highlighting: Editors use it to recognize Ruby’s syntax and structure.
Project Organization: It groups various files—like scripts and test specs—to smoothly operate within Ruby-centric projects.

Files may come with different extensions. For example, files with RB, RUBY, or SPEC indicate their Ruby basis.
Some files, though bearing this MIME type, can also be linked to other formats (like certain configuration or templating files) within projects that heavily use Ruby and related tools.
This designation makes it clear to systems and developers that the file should be processed as text with Ruby semantics, ensuring consistency across diverse development tools and environments.

Associated file extensions

.ruby, .spec, .rb, .tf, .rbi, .rbx, .eye, .thor, .rbs, .fcgi, .workflow, .ru, .hcl, .rbw, .god, .builder, .druby, .duby, .gemspec, .jbuilder, .mirah, .mspec, .nomad, .pluginspec, .podspec, .prawn, .rabl, .rake, .rbuild, .tftpl, .tfvars, .watchr

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

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


    Content-Type: text/x-ruby

HTML

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


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

Associated file extensions

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.