Learn About MIME Types & How To Use Them Via The Shared Web Hosting Control Panel

Quick Intro

MIME types enable browsers to recognize the file type of a file sent via HTTP by the webserver, allowing the browser to choose an appropriate method for displaying the file. Common MIME types include text/html for HTML files and image/jpeg for JPEG files. If a web server or application reports an incorrect MIME type, the browser, according to the HTTP specification, has no way of knowing that the content should be processed and displayed differently than what is implied by the reported MIME type.

Important To Know Before You Begin

The Web Host Most server supports most MIME types at the system level. This functionality should be used only by skilled users, as incorrect setup can cause problems when loading your resources. For instance, if you add some files to the server that are not supported by default, you may need to add a new MIME type yourself to ensure the server recognizes the extension.

Creating A New MIME Type

Imagine you want to add the .gif extension for your template files (assuming ".gif" is not supported by default). You can easily add it as a new MIME type.

To create a new MIME type:

1. From your Web Control Panel, navigate to Development Tools > Mime Types.
2. In the fields to Add Mime Type, enter the desired name and add the required extension (without the period before it).
3. Click Add.

This process allows you to customize how various file types are handled by your server, ensuring that all files load and display correctly based on their intended function.