What is MIME type "application/zip"?
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.
About application/zip
Description
ZIP Archive
Archive file format that supports lossless data compression.
Category
Details
Usage Examples
HTTP Header
When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:
Content-Type: application/zip
HTML
In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:
<a href="file.zip" type="application/zip">Download file</a>
Browser Compatibility
Most modern browsers support the application/zip MIME type and will either attempt to display it if possible, or prompt the user to download it.
Supported Browsers
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera
Handling
Browsers will typically prompt the user to download the file or open it with an appropriate application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related MIME Types
Official reference for the application/zip MIME type
https://mime-type.com/application/zip