There are numerous types of computer files, but the most common are documents, images, videos, and music. Each of these file types has its own file extension that indicates what type of data is stored within it.
What are the different formats of a file?
A.jpg file, for example, is an image file in JPEG format, whereas an a.docx document will use Microsoft Word’s default formatting. This article will go over the various file formats that can be found on the internet.
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Adobe Systems created the Portable Document Format (PDF) file format. Because it cannot be directly edited, it is most commonly used to share files with online users. word to pdf
The benefit of PDFs is that they can be read on any device, so you don’t have to worry about what software or hardware the recipient has.PDF files are also very adaptable. HEIC files can also be converted to PDF files in a few simple steps.
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
A JPEG file is an image file that compresses the data in it to make it smaller.This means you can send files with accompanying photos much more easily because they take up less space on your device or when sent over the internet.
The most significant disadvantage of this format is quality loss, which occurs every time a JPEG file is saved once because it reduces the amount of information stored within each pixel. If images are repeatedly saved at low-quality levels, they will become blurry and distort sooner rather than later.
Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
The Portable Network Graphics file format is a lossless image format, which means that the quality of each pixel is preserved when saved and read back in.
This enables images to be compressed without losing any information, making PNGs ideal for saving bandwidth or sending large files over slow connections that might stall when downloading a JPEG or other format.
Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
CompuServe invented the Graphics Interchange Format in 1987, and it is the only file format that supports animation. GIFs are commonly used for memes, text images, and other images that contain multiple frames of movement within a single image.
This type, like JPEG files, will lose quality with each save, so keep an eye out after multiple saves if you want to keep as much quality as possible. Try this cloud convert.
scalable Vector graphics (SVG)
Scalable Vector Graphics are vector image files, which means they are composed of mathematically defined lines rather than pixels.
This makes SVG images ideal for logos or other graphics that need to be resized without losing quality because it is all done by changing the numbers in the file rather than re-saving each time an adjustment is required.
Moving Picture Experts Group (MP4)
The Moving Picture Experts Group file format is a multimedia container format that is currently one of the most popular.
It enables files such as videos, audios, and even subtitles to be saved in the same location at the same time, which is very useful when trying to send these types of media across multiple devices without difficulty.
Word Processing Document (DOC and DOCX)
While Microsoft Word is proprietary software, the document file formats it uses are not.DOC and DOCX files can be opened with free applications such as LibreOffice and Open Office just as easily as they can in their native format.
These two formats differ in terms of which features have been updated within them over time, so if you send a version created in 2003, there may be some compatibility issues, whereas someone receiving an updated 2009 file will have no trouble opening their older copy.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML and HTM)
Anyone who works with the internet should be familiar with the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).It’s what websites are made of, so if you want your website or blog posts to be online, you’ll need some HTML knowledge because it’s the foundation of every page on the web.
While both file types have similar characteristics, they cannot be changed into one another without first opening them as text documents, making information exchange between these two formats difficult regardless of how much experience you have working with either format.
(XLS and XLSX)
The Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet file type is a proprietary spreadsheet application used for data organisation and analysis of various types.
While it can be opened in free alternatives such as LibreOffice, the XLS format isn’t compatible with Google Sheets, which means you may need to convert your data before sharing it between applications or devices that don’t use Excel.
Rich Text Format (RTF)
To open an RTF file in Microsoft Word, simply select “open” from the top toolbar menu bar, where they will see an option for this specific document type as well as other similar formats within the same section.
RTF files, unlike DOC or DOCX files, can be opened by other programs such as LibreOffice and Open Office, making them much more universal if you’re sharing your document with someone who doesn’t use the same program as you to open these types of files.
Audio/Video Interleaved (AVI)
The Audio Video Interleave file format is a multimedia container format that combines audio and video. While you will need to download an application such as a VLC media player in order to play AVI files, this isn’t necessary if all you want is the sound or visual portion of your file because other free applications will allow you to choose which element you’d like without requiring any additional downloads at first.
Interested in Learning More About File Formats?
As you can see, there are a plethora of file types to be aware of. Recognizing these file extensions will aid in the download of the appropriate types for specific applications.
It can also assist you in avoiding compatibility issues. Continue reading our blog for more helpful articles to learn more about this topic.
