Which of the following file extension indicates the file is an HTML document?

Updated: 04/12/2021 by

A file extension or file name extension is the ending of a file that helps identify the type of file in operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows. In Microsoft Windows, the file name extension is a period that is often followed by three characters but may also be one, two, or four characters long.

Example of a file extension

For example, the file name "myfile.txt" has a file extension of ".txt," a file name extension associated with text files.

In the example above, the first file shown in Explorer is the "Regedit.exe" file. "Regedit" is the name of the file, and ".exe" is the file extension that identifies this file as an executable file. The next file, "RtlExUpd.dll," is a DLL file, and the last two files are log files. By having file name extensions, you can quickly identify the type of file and have a better idea of how that file may be opened.

Tip

If you are trying to find a file with a specific file extension, use wildcards in your search.

What makes a valid file name extension?

A file name extension is often between one and three characters and is always at the end of the file name, starting with a period. Some programs also support file extensions that are more than three characters. For example, all the latest versions of Microsoft Word support .docx document files and some web pages end with the .html file extension.

Note

In all new versions of Microsoft Windows, by default, the file extensions are hidden, and you must have show file extensions enabled. For more help with enabling this feature, see: How to view a computer file extension.

Can a file extension be longer than three or four characters?

Yes. As long as the program was designed to use longer file extension, it can be longer than four characters. However, to keep the overall file name short, most programs do not exceed four characters.

Is there a limit to how long a file extension can be?

There is no file extension limit as long as the file path, name, and extension combined do not exceed the maximum file name character limit of the operating system. Below is a list of Microsoft Windows versions and their file name character limit.

Windows 10 - 260 character limit.
Windows 8 - 260 character limit.
Windows 7 - 260 character limit.
Windows Vista - 260 character limit.
Windows XP - 255 character limit.
Windows 2000 - 254 character limit.

How many types of file extensions are there?

There are thousands of file extensions associated with one or more applications. More common file extensions are listed below, separated by the types of files the associated file extensions.

Picture files

.bmp
.gif
.jpg
.png

Music and sound files

.mp3
.wav

Operating system files

.dll
.exe

Text and word processing documents

.doc
.docx
.rtf
.txt

Spreadsheet files

.xls
.xlsx
.xlr
.csv

Web Page files

.htm
.html

How to remove a file extension

A file extension can be removed by renaming a file. However, programs rely on the file extensions for identification and removing the file extension could cause the computer to not know what program to use to view the file.

Tip

In Microsoft Windows another option is to hide the file extensions from being shown.

How to change or rename a file, folder, or directory.

Does a directory have an extension?

No. A directory does not have an extension like a file.

Extension, File, File format, File name, Ftype, Operating system terms, Software terms

Even though most websites are run on Unix web servers that, like Macs, don't require file extensions, these extensions help differentiate files. A file name and extension indicates the type of file, how the web server uses it, and how you can access it.

Common File Types

The most common files on web servers are:

Web pages
Images
Scripts
Programs and other types

Web Pages

Two extensions are standard for web pages: .html and .htm. There's no difference between them, and you can use either on most web servers.

As the original extension for HTML pages on Unix web hosting machines, .html indicates a file that uses HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or XHTML (EXtensible HyperText Markup Language).

Windows/DOS required three-character file extensions, which gave rise to the .htm extension. This also references HTML and XHTML files and can be used on any web server, regardless of the operating system.

The default page in a directory on most web servers typically has an index.htm or index.html extension. Visitors to your website don't have to enter either of these two extensions in the address bar, as long as you've given the home page one of them. For example, http://thoughtco.com/index.htm goes to the same place as http://thoughtco.com.

Some web servers are set up to call a home page default.htm, which you can change if you have access to the server configuration.

Images

The most common types of image files online are GIF, JPG, and PNG. All browsers can display them, and web designers use the format that's best for their particular applications.

GIF

GIF (graphic interchange format) is a lossless format first developed by CompuServe for both animated and static images. It works best for images with flat colors and short animated snippets. It offers the ability to index colors to make sure that they contain only web-safe colors (or an otherwise small palette of colors), keeping file size small.

JPG

The JPG (aka JPEG) format was created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (hence, the acronym) for photographic images. If an image has photographic qualities without expanses of flat color, it is well suited to this file format. A photograph saved with the .jpg or .jpeg extension is typically compressed, yielding a smaller file size than a .gif file.

PNG

The PNG (Portable Network Graphic) format was made for the web, with better compression, color, and transparency than GIF files. PNGs don’t have to have the .png extension, but that's how you'll most often see them.

Scripts

Scripts are files that activate dynamic actions on websites. There are many types, but you'll see the following most often.

.js (JavaScript)

You can load JavaScript files into the web page itself, or you can place JavaScript in an external file and call it from there. If you write your JavaScript into the web page, you won't see the .js extension, because it's part of the HTML file.

Degui Adil / EyeEm / Getty Images

.java or .class

These two extensions are often associated with Java programs. Although you probably won't come across a .java or .class extension on a web page, these files are often used to generate Java applets for web pages.

Other File Types

A few other extensions you might encounter refer to files that typically augment function and flexibility on a website.

.php and .php3

The .php extension is nearly as common as .html and .htm on web pages. This extension indicates a page written with PHP, an open-source, easy-to-learn language that facilitates scripting, macros, and includes on a website.

.shtm and .shtml

These denote files that use server-side includes—coding that lives in separate files that are called into the page. Essentially, this allows you to include one web page inside another and add macro-like actions to your websites.

.asp

This extension denotes an Active Server Page. ASP provides scripting, macros, and includes, along with database connectivity and more. It is most often found on Windows web servers.

.cfm and .cfml

These extensions are given to ColdFusion files. ColdFusion is a powerful server-side content management tool that brings macros, scripting, and more to your web pages.

Which of the following file extensions indicate the file is an HTML document?

html indicates a file that uses HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or XHTML (EXtensible HyperText Markup Language). Windows/DOS required three-character file extensions, which gave rise to the . htm extension. This also references HTML and XHTML files and can be used on any web server, regardless of the operating system.

What HTTP method does a browser use when you upload files to a specific web address?

POST is an HTTP method designed to send data to the server from an HTTP client. The HTTP POST method requests the web server accept the data enclosed in the body of the POST message. HTTP POST method is often used when submitting login or contact forms or uploading files and images to the server.

Is the current HTML specifications?

HTML5 is a markup language used for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. It is the fifth and final major HTML version that is a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation. The current specification is known as the HTML Living Standard. ... HTML5..

What is the main file type used by Web browsers?

The file format for a web page is usually HTML (hyper-text markup language) and is identified in the HTTP protocol. Most web browsers also support a variety of additional formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF image formats, and can be extended to support more through the use of plugins.