Format Atlas

MIME types

A MIME type identifies the kind of content, often as type/subtype such as image/jpeg. It helps browsers and services handle files, but should be checked against the actual content.

Formats

JPEGJPEG is a lossy image format used widely for distributing photographs.PDFPDF is widely used to distribute and view documents while preserving their layout. It can hold multiple pages, text, images, and graphics.MP4MP4 is an MPEG-4 Part 14 container based on the ISO Base Media File Format. It can hold video and audio, but .mp4 alone does not identify codecs such as H.264, HEVC, AV1, or AAC.JSONJSON is a text format that represents structured data with keys and values. It is widely used for web APIs and configuration files.

Compare

XML vs JSONXML and JSON are text formats for structured data, but use different structures and conventions.

Guides

Choose a web image formatDecide what kind of image you are serving and which browsers and tools must support it before choosing a web format.Choosing a Data Exchange FormatStart with the receiving system's specification. Use JSON for structured API data, XML where an integration requires its schema, and CSV for a single table.

Related formats and reading

File formatsA file format defines how data is represented and interpreted. Choose one by the recipient's software, editing needs, fidelity and long-term access, not by extension alone.File extensionsAn extension such as .jpg or .pdf is a filename hint, not proof of the file's contents. Inspect the actual format before changing an extension or trusting a download.

References and specifications