File Extension Library
Ever wondered; “What is that file?” or “I wonder what that file does?” or even “Gee, I hope that’s not a virus?” Need not despair, the psyborg® file extension library is here. An A-Z listing of design related file types, providing you with file type acronym, meaning and explanation of file usage.
I hope this will be a helpful tool, especially now that everyone is beginning to interact with digital technology.
Below is a list of design related file types that a typical multimedia designer would be familiar with. It is not a complete list as there are a huge number of software applications out there, however the list below is indicative of the standard file types used in the Graphic Design & Multimedia industries.
| File Ext | Application | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please Note:Icon graphics may differ on your computer due to different user preferences and operating systems. Icons are indicative only.* Internet Explorer has been used for this icon as it is the most widely used internet browser and thus representative of a typical web page. This could be replaced with any other internet browser icon to symbolise a web page. | |||
| .ai | Adobe Illustrator | Useful for vector illustration where the image can be scaled to infinity without the loss of quality. | |
| .asp/.aspx * |
Active Server Page/.Net | A web server extension by Microsoft enabling web pages to be dynamically generated from the server. | |
| .avi | Audio Video Interleave | A sound and video file format on Windows operating systems. | |
| .css | Cascading Style Sheet | A language used to describe how a HTML document should be formatted. | |
| .doc | Document | Microsoft Word Files used for document creation & formatting. | |
| .exe | Executable Program | Used to run a program on the Windows operating system. | |
| .eps | Encapsulated Postscript | Useful for vector illustration where the image can be scaled to infinity without the loss of quality. Most logos are created in this format. | |
| .fla | Flash | The format used to create and edit swf files that are presented on the web. Useful for animation and interactivity. | |
| .gif | Graphical Interchange Format | A graphic file format that presents images using a break down of colors to compress the image. Best used for illustrations, logos and solid shapes. This format can provide small file sized animations known as animated gifs. A gif file also supports transparency. | |
| .hqx | binary-to-hexadecimal | Used to run a program on the Macintosh operating system. | |
| .htm/.html * |
Hypertext Markup Language | Standard file type for presenting a web page. Based around the premise of linking one page to another known as hyperlinks. | |
| .indd | InDesign Document | Page design software. InDesign enables print production workflow’s and a fluid creative environment for designing professional layouts with sophisticated graphics and typography. | |
| .jpeg/.jpg | Joint Photographic Experts Group | Widely used on the Internet to display photographs. Can be compressed however pixel quality will degrade each time the format is saved. (Lossy Format). Does not support transparency. | |
| .mov | Apple Quicktime Movie File | File format used to present video and sound. | |
| .mpeg | Moving Picture Experts Group | The digital standard for compression and storage of motion video. | |
| .otf | Open Type Font | This is a vector font file type used for installing and manipulating fonts and can be used on Macintosh and Windows operating systems. | |
| Portable Document Format | The PDF format has become a standard for document transfer between different computer platforms. A PDF file retains formatting for the file being transmitted and are becoming the standard for providing high resolution files to printers. | ||
| .php | PHP Script | These are script files used on a server to generate HTML files sent to a browser. | |
| .png | Portable Network Graphics | Similar to a Jpeg file as it is used to present images however a png supports transparency. | |
| .psd | Photoshop Document | This format is used to create and edit images in Adobe Photoshop. | |
| .sit | Stuff -It | A sit file is a compressed archive. It can contain only one file or many files in multiple directories on the Macintosh operating system. | |
| .swf | Shock Wave Format | Created mainly by Flash, these files are used to present animations and interactive experiences embedded within a web page document. | |
| .tif | Tagged Image Format | Useful for high resolution printing such as photos and images for print. Does not loose quality over time from re-saving (not a lossy format). | |
| .ttf | True Type Font | This is a vector font file used for installing and manipulating fonts. Will work on Windows operating systems only. | |
| .wav | Wave Format | An audio format used to convert analogue to digital sound. | |
| .zip | Compressed Archive File | A zip file is a compressed archive. It can contain only one file or many files in multiple directories used on the Windows operating system. | |
Daniel Borg
Creative Director
psyborg® was founded by Daniel Borg, an Honours Graduate in Design from the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Daniel also has an Associate Diploma in Industrial Engineering and has experience from within the Engineering & Advertising Industries.
Daniel has completed over 2800 design projects consisting of branding, content marketing, digital marketing, illustration, web design, and printed projects since psyborg® was first founded. psyborg® is located in Lake Macquarie, Newcastle but services business Nation wide.
I really do enjoy getting feedback so please let me know your thoughts on this or any of my articles in the comments field or on social media below.
Cheers Daniel