What is MIME type "text/javascript"?
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 text/javascript
Usage Examples
HTTP Header
When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:
Content-Type: text/javascript
HTML
In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:
<a href="file.js" type="text/javascript">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/javascript'); res.end('Content here'); }).listen(3000);
Browser Compatibility
Most modern browsers support the text/javascript MIME type and will display it as plain text or in a specialized viewer.
Supported Browsers
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera
Handling
Browsers will execute the JavaScript code in the context of the current page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related MIME Types
Official reference for the text/javascript MIME type
https://mime-type.com/text/javascript