Glossary of File Formats Explained

Apr 17 2025

Productivity

8 min

What is a File Format?

A file format is the structure in which data is stored and encoded within a computer file. Each data format has unique characteristics that determine how the file is read, displayed, or edited.

Some formats prioritize high image quality, while others focus on small file sizes or lossless compression.

Without further ado, here is your complete glossary list of file formats.

Common File Formats by Category

Let's explore different file types so you know which is best for your needs. For every category, you'll find that each file type may serve the same general purpose, but have been designed to suit different needs.

Text File Formats

Here's a list of the most common document file formats that are used for both personal and professional needs.

TXT (Plain Text File): A simple format used to store unformatted text. This format is usually best for basic compatibility when importing documents into applications that do not support certain file types.
CSV (Comma-Separated Values): Used to store tabular data in a textual format, a CSV file is essentially a text version of an Excel spreadsheet, which uses commas to represent columns.
DOCX (Microsoft Word Document): A word processing file format created in Microsoft Word and is used for rich text documents that can be formatted, edited, and structured as needed. Microsoft Word supports DOC, DOCX, RTF, TXT, PDF, HTML, ODT, and XML file formats.
PDF (Portable Document Format): Developed by Adobe, PDFs preserve formatting and layout and are widely used for secure document sharing across different operating systems.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): Commonly used for data storage and exchange in programming languages.
XML (Extensible Markup Language): The XML format is a markup language used for storing, transferring, and structuring data.

Image File Formats

Looking to enhance your content? Not sure which image file types are use for what? Below is a list of image file formats explaining the advantages of each image data format.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A popular image format used to compress images using lossy compression while maintaining clear colors and graphics.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics): PNG files are lossless compression image formats that support transparent backgrounds, high image quality, and are popular among web designers.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format): An image format that supports animation and is widely used to display short clips when viewing webpages online via web browsers.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): Often used for professional photographic images for its high quality and are preferred for high-resolution printing due to their large file sizes.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics): One of the most common vector file types, SVG files are a vector graphics format used for web images and digital content because of its scalability while keeping images sharp.
BMP (Bitmap Image File): An uncompressed raster image format that preserves high image quality.
HEIC (High Efficiency Image Format): An advanced compression image container format used by Apple, providing a high image quality format with a smaller file size.
Web picture (WebP): Developed by Google for displaying web images, WebP supports lossless and lossy compression, smaller file sizes, and high image quality, making it more efficient than JPEG, PNG, and GIF.

Audio File Formats

Audio file formats are quite common for listening to music both online and offline. Here's a look at the most popular ones you may come across.

MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer III): A compressed audio file format used for music and digital audio. Ideal for smaller file sizes while maintaining good sound quality.
WMA (Windows Media Audio): A digital audio file format developed by Microsoft, designed for efficient audio compression.
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format): A high-quality audio format used in professional settings.
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding): A format used to achieve better sound quality than MP3 at lower bitrates.
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec): A lossless compression format that preserves audio quality.
OGG (Ogg Vorbis): An open-source format used for storing audio files.

Video File Formats

For digital media content, there are multiple files that can support video content. Here is a list of the most common video file extensions you can use.

MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14): A common file format used for videos with high compression efficiency. Its compatibility with a wide range of devices makes it a common format for online sharing and streaming
AVI (Audio Video Interleave): A format used to store video and audio data in a single file. Developed by Microsoft, it allows for synchronized audio and video playback. AVI files maintain high quality but can consume significant storage space.
MOV (QuickTime Movie File): A format developed by Apple. MOV files are commonly used for high-quality videos.
WMV (Windows Media Video): A format commonly used for streaming, video sharing, and stoing content on Windows-based media players and HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
MKV (Matroska Video File): A format used for high-definition video storage.
Web media (WebM): A media format by Google designed for the web. Based on the MKV format, it stores high-quality audio and video, making it ideal for HTML5 and browsers.

Executable File Formats

Executable file formats are files that contain a program or software application that can be run or executed on a computer.

These files are designed to perform specific tasks when opened and typically contain instructions in machine language that the computer’s processor can understand and execute.

Common executable file formats include:

EXE (Windows Executable File): A format used to run applications on Windows operating systems.
APP (Mac Application File): A file format used for applications on macOS.
BAT (Batch File): A script file used to automate tasks in Windows.
SH (Shell Script File): A script format used in Linux and Unix systems.

Markup and Programming File Formats

Markup file formats are used to structure and format data, typically for display purposes. They include:

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The standard file format used to create and display web pages properly across web browsers.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): A format used to style web pages.
JS (JavaScript File): A file format used for scripting in web development.
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor): A file format used in server-side programming.
PY (Python File): A format used to store Python scripts and programs.

Hopefully, this list of computer file formats helps you identify which types of files best suit your work or personal needs.

Why Are There So Many File Formats Available?

There are many different types of file formats because they're each designed to meet specific needs and purposes. For example, text files focus on storing plain text, while image formats optimize content for different uses, such as compression or transparency.

Similarly, video and audio formats prioritize efficiency, quality, and playback across devices. Each file format balances factors like file size, quality, and functionality, making it suitable for certain tasks.

With the widespread use of technology, digital media, online workflows, and content sharing, new formats are needed to make working with multimedia, data storage, and different software tools seamless and easily compatible.

Choosing the Right File Format

When selecting a file format, consider factors such as:

File size: Lossy formats like JPEG images and the MP3 compressed file format can reduce storage needs.
Quality: Lossless formats like TIFF and FLAC preserve high quality.
Compatibility: Formats like PDF and MP4 are widely supported across devices.
Image Editing Needs: PNG and SVG allow for easy editing, while GIF supports animation.

Sustainability of Digital Formats

The sustainability of digital formats is a critical consideration in preserving your digital content. Some file formats are preferred for long-term storage due to their stability and metadata preservation.

The Library of Congress has identified common file formats that are ideal for archiving due to their widespread use and long-term accessibility. This file extensions list includes:

Text Documents: Plain text (.txt), XML (.xml), and PDF/A (.pdf) for long-term document storage.
Images: TIFF (.tiff), JPEG 2000 (.jp2), and PNG (.png) for lossless image preservation.
Audio: WAV (.wav) and FLAC (.flac) for high-quality, uncompressed sound storage.
Video: MOV (.mov) and AVI (.avi) for maintaining high-resolution video content.
Data Formats: CSV (.csv) and JSON (.json) for structured data preservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to a few common questions you may have about different types of files so you can pick the right format for your needs.

Why should I use a PDF file format?

PDFs preserve a document’s original formatting, fonts, and layout, ensuring it looks the same across all devices and platforms. This makes them ideal for sharing professional documents like contracts and reports.

PDF files are universally accessible and can be viewed with a free PDF reader. The format can provide enhanced security features, such as password protection, digital signatures, and content redaction, making them a safe choice for securing sensitive information.

Additionally, PDFs support multimedia elements, like images and hyperlinks, making them easy to share without losing quality.

What’s the difference between JPEG and PNG?

JPEG is a popular image format that uses lossy compression to reduce file sizes. It’s great for photographs but doesn’t support transparency.

PNG uses lossless compression and supports transparency, making it ideal for images with text, logos, or transparent backgrounds.

If you find yourself needing to switch between the two formats, you can easily do so by converting PNG to JPG using a converter.

What factors should I consider when choosing from different types of files?

When selecting a format over other formats, consider factors like the document’s purpose, compatibility with devices or software, and whether the format supports certain features (e.g. images, security, or editing).

For example, if you need a document to retain its exact layout and be accessible across all devices, a PDF (portable document format) might be the best choice. If you need to collaborate and work with data in a spreadsheet, a CSV file could be more appropriate to share.

Always choose a format that balances quality, file size, and ease of use for your specific needs.

Can I convert between different file formats?

Yes, you can convert from one file format to other formats using tools like Xodo that let you convert files online, on your desktop, and mobile devices.

Xodo Web gives you over 30 online tools that let you convert from one format to another, such as from Word to PDF, or from JPEG to PNG, depending on your needs.

If you’re looking for an offline solution, there’s Xodo PDF Studio for Windows, macOS, and Linux, which allows you to convert images to and from PDF, PDF to Text, HTML, and more.

For conversions on the go, you can use the Xodo mobile app for Android and the Xodo app on iOS. The mobile apps are a quick solution to convert PDF to and from images, PDF documents, TXT file formats, and even HTML webpages to PDF.

Work Efficiently with Different File Formats

Understanding different file formats helps in managing your digital content and multiple files efficiently. Whether you’re working with text, images, audio, or video files, knowing the best format for your needs ensures better document storage, quality, and compatibility.

By leveraging the right formats, you can optimize your files' performance, enhance their interoperability, and maintain high-quality digital content every time.

If you need to work with those file formats - especially the PDF, Xodo offers the perfect solution for document conversion, editing, and management.

Try Xodo today and see how easy your workflow becomes with its wide range of tools right at your fingertips.

Reena Cruz

PDF Productivity Expert