What are the three general types of files?
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File types include document, image, video, and audio, but they don’t stop there. Learn the different types of files and when it’s best to use each. Show
When you save any type of file, you have to choose a file type. Different file types serve different purposes, with some file types being better suited for the web while others are better suited for print or other media. To make matters even more complicated, there are different file types for documents, image files, audio files, and video files. Whether you’re building a website or crafting emails for your marketing campaign, choosing the right file type is important. For example, selecting the right image file types can help speed up web page and email loading times, which helps keep your readers engaged. If you use images or videos that are too large in size, your web page can take longer to load and visitors may leave before you get a chance to grab their attention. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the different types of files for the 4 primary file types: document, image, video, and audio. If you’re having trouble optimizing your website or your email marketing campaign with the right types of file formats, here’s everything you need to know. Why are there different types of files?Different types of files are compatible with different software and can achieve different things. While you can use an SRT file to add subtitles to a video, you can’t achieve that with a regular text document or RTF file. When it comes to image file types, some file types are better for print while others are better for digital graphics. There are also different types of files for the web. Internet users expect things to happen quickly, and certain file types are significantly smaller and easier to load. When you’re building a website or sending out marketing emails, using the right file formats can help reduce bounce rates and increase engagement. Simply put, choosing the right file type can help you optimize your web strategy and marketing campaign and get an advantage over your competition. Learn how to develop your unique brand voice, design a beautiful website, and create content that grabs attention with a little help from us. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. In a GUI (graphical user interface), such as Microsoft Windows, files display as icons that relate to the program that opens the file. For example, all PDF icons appear the same and open in Adobe Acrobat or the reader associated with PDF files. If a program is associated with a program, double-clicking the icon opens it in the default program.
How are files created?A file is created using a computer software program. For example, to create a text file you would use a text editor, to create an image file you would use an image editor, and to create a document you would use a word processor.
Where are files stored?Computer files are stored on a drive (e.g., the hard drive), disc (e.g., DVD), and a diskette (e.g., floppy disk) and may be in a folder (directory) on that medium. Tip When saving a file to your computer, you are saving the file to the hard drive. File managementMicrosoft Windows computer users can view, manage, and organize their files with Windows Explorer and Apple users can use the Finder. See our file system definition for further information about file management.
File extensions and file types There are millions of files used with computers today that are identified either by the file extension or the file's data. For example, the picture of Windows Explorer above is the "Regedit.exe" file. "Regedit" is the name of the file and ".exe" is the file extension that identifies the file as an executable file. The next file "RtlExUpd.dll" is a DLL file and another example of a file. Tip In new versions of Windows, the file extensions are hidden by default. If the file extensions are hidden, you can also get a general understanding of the type of file by looking at the Type column. In the above example, the "Regedit.exe" file is an "Application" and the "RtlExUpd.dll" file is an "Application extension."
How long can a file be?Earlier version of Microsoft Windows and MS-DOS has a file naming convention called the 8.3 format. This convention supported a maximum file name of eight characters and up to a three-character extension. With the introduction of Windows 95, Windows joined other operating systems in supporting long file names. Now, all the latest versions of Windows can support file names up to 255 characters in length. Why do files have different icons?Because there are thousands of different file formats, different icons are used to help identify the type of file or what program is associated. For example, when scrolling through hundreds of files you could identify a text file by looking for a file icon that looks like a notepad. Having unique icons is also helpful for when file extensions are hidden. Tip A file icon is often changed when the default program used to open the type of file is changed.
Illegal file charactersWith most operating systems, the below characters are considered illegal and cannot be used. Trying to create a file with these characters in the file name would generate an error or make the file inaccessible. \ / : * ? " < > | Note Also, many operating systems including Windows have reserved words to also not be included in a file name. See the reserved word definition for examples of reserved words. How are files different than a directory or folder?A directory (folder) is an area on the computer containing other directories and files and helps keep the computer organized. Files can be contained within a directory and contain information used by the operating system or other programs on the computer. See our directory page for further information on directories. Related information
2. Linux command, see the file command page for additional information about this command. Batch file, Binary file, Closed file, Data file, Directory, EOF, Executable file, File extension, File format, File name, File properties, File viewer, Hidden files, Hierarchical file system, Interchangeable file, Leaf, Long file names, Native file format, Open file, Operating system terms, Orphan file, PIF, Program, README file, Record, Software terms, Swap file, System file, Text file What are the different types of files?6 Different Types of Files and How to Use Them. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) ... . PNG (Portable Network Graphics) ... . GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) ... . PDF (Portable Document Format) ... . SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) ... . MP4 (Moving Picture Experts Group). What are the 3 types of files in Unix?The seven standard Unix file types are regular, directory, symbolic link, FIFO special, block special, character special, and socket as defined by POSIX.
What are the 4 types of files?Here are some of the most popular text file formats you might use:. Portable document format (PDF) A PDF file is a common file type in many work environments. ... . Word document (DOC and DOCX) ... . Hypertext markup language (HTML and HTM) ... . Microsoft excel spreadsheet file (XLS and XLSX) ... . Text file (TXT). What are the 3 types of files in Linux?In Linux/UNIX, Files are mainly categorized into 3 parts:. Regular Files.. Directory Files.. Special Files.. |
