mime vs mime-db vs mime-types vs content-type vs file-type
NPM Packages for MIME Type Handling Comparison
1 Year
mimemime-dbmime-typescontent-typefile-typeSimilar Packages:
What's NPM Packages for MIME Type Handling?

These packages are essential for handling MIME types in web development. They provide functionality for parsing, validating, and working with content types and file types, which are crucial for ensuring that web applications correctly interpret and serve various media types. Understanding the differences between these packages helps developers choose the right tool for their specific needs, whether it's for simple content type parsing or comprehensive file type detection.

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mime70,305,1412,227106 kB12 months agoMIT
mime-db70,224,2471,138219 kB478 months agoMIT
mime-types62,434,3331,36018.3 kB11-MIT
content-type35,220,38713410.5 kB32 years agoMIT
file-type22,034,8273,889104 kB103 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: mime vs mime-db vs mime-types vs content-type vs file-type

Purpose

  • mime:

    The 'mime' package provides a comprehensive set of utilities for working with MIME types, including looking up MIME types based on file extensions and vice versa, making it a versatile choice for web applications.

  • mime-db:

    The 'mime-db' package serves as a complete database of MIME types and their associated file extensions, providing developers with a reliable source of MIME type information that can be easily updated.

  • mime-types:

    The 'mime-types' package offers a robust set of features for managing MIME types, including methods for content negotiation and looking up types, making it suitable for more complex applications.

  • content-type:

    The 'content-type' package is designed for parsing and formatting HTTP content types, making it easy to work with the Content-Type header in requests and responses.

  • file-type:

    The 'file-type' package is focused on detecting the file type of binary data based on its magic number, which is essential for validating file uploads and ensuring correct processing.

Data Source

  • mime:

    The 'mime' package comes with a built-in list of MIME types but does not dynamically update, relying on its internal data structure for lookups.

  • mime-db:

    This package is a comprehensive database that is regularly updated, providing the latest MIME types and ensuring that applications have access to current information.

  • mime-types:

    Similar to 'mime', this package has a built-in list of types but also offers additional utilities for managing MIME types and content negotiation.

  • content-type:

    This package does not rely on external data sources and is lightweight, focusing solely on parsing and formatting content types based on the standard format.

  • file-type:

    'file-type' analyzes binary data directly to determine the file type, making it independent of external databases or predefined lists.

Performance

  • mime:

    While 'mime' is efficient for lookups, it may not be as fast as specialized packages like 'file-type' for binary detection, as it relies on string matching.

  • mime-db:

    The performance of 'mime-db' is excellent for lookups due to its comprehensive nature, but it may introduce overhead if used in scenarios requiring frequent updates.

  • mime-types:

    This package balances performance with functionality, providing efficient lookups while also supporting additional features like content negotiation.

  • content-type:

    The 'content-type' package is lightweight and efficient, making it suitable for applications where performance is critical and only basic content type handling is required.

  • file-type:

    Performance is optimized for quick detection of file types from binary data, making it suitable for real-time applications that require immediate feedback on file uploads.

Ease of Use

  • mime:

    The 'mime' package offers a clear and intuitive API for MIME type lookups, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels.

  • mime-db:

    While 'mime-db' provides a wealth of information, its usage may require additional understanding of how to integrate it effectively into applications.

  • mime-types:

    The 'mime-types' package has a comprehensive API that may have a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features, but it is well-documented.

  • content-type:

    'content-type' is straightforward to use, with a simple API for parsing and formatting content types, making it ideal for developers who need quick integration.

  • file-type:

    The API for 'file-type' is user-friendly, allowing developers to easily detect file types with minimal setup, which is beneficial for rapid development.

Community and Support

  • mime:

    The 'mime' package is widely used and has a large community, making it easy to find tutorials, examples, and support.

  • mime-db:

    Being a data-centric package, 'mime-db' has a dedicated user base focused on maintaining and updating MIME type information, ensuring reliability.

  • mime-types:

    This package benefits from a strong community and extensive documentation, making it a reliable choice for developers seeking support.

  • content-type:

    This package has a small but active community, providing sufficient support for basic use cases and common issues.

  • file-type:

    'file-type' has gained popularity and has a strong community, ensuring that developers can find help and resources easily.

How to Choose: mime vs mime-db vs mime-types vs content-type vs file-type
  • mime:

    Select 'mime' if you need a comprehensive library for working with MIME types, including a large set of predefined types and the ability to look up types based on file extensions. It's great for applications that require extensive MIME type support.

  • mime-db:

    Use 'mime-db' if you need a complete and up-to-date database of MIME types and their associated file extensions. This package is useful for applications that require frequent updates to MIME type information without the need for additional functionality.

  • mime-types:

    Choose 'mime-types' for a more feature-rich solution that includes methods for content negotiation and MIME type lookup. It's suitable for applications that require both MIME type handling and additional utilities for managing content types.

  • content-type:

    Choose 'content-type' if you need a lightweight solution for parsing and formatting HTTP content types. It's ideal for applications that require basic content type handling without additional overhead.

  • file-type:

    Opt for 'file-type' when you need to detect the file type of a buffer or stream based on its binary signature. This package is particularly useful for applications that handle file uploads and need to validate the file type before processing.

README for mime

Mime

NPM downloads Mime CI

An API for MIME type information.

  • All mime-db types
  • Compact and dependency-free mime's badge
  • Full TS support

[!Note] mime@4 is now latest. If you're upgrading from mime@3, note the following:

  • mime@4 is API-compatible with mime@3, with ~~one~~ two exceptions:
    • Direct imports of mime properties no longer supported
    • mime.define() cannot be called on the default mime object
  • ESM module support is required. ESM Module FAQ.
  • Requires an ES2020 or newer runtime
  • Built-in Typescript types (@types/mime no longer needed)

Installation

npm install mime

Quick Start

For the full version (800+ MIME types, 1,000+ extensions):

import mime from 'mime';

mime.getType('txt');                    // ⇨ 'text/plain'
mime.getExtension('text/plain');        // ⇨ 'txt'

Lite Version mime/lite's badge

mime/lite is a drop-in mime replacement, stripped of unofficial ("prs.*", "x-*", "vnd.*") types:

import mime from 'mime/lite';

API

mime.getType(pathOrExtension)

Get mime type for the given file path or extension. E.g.

mime.getType('js');             // ⇨ 'text/javascript'
mime.getType('json');           // ⇨ 'application/json'

mime.getType('txt');            // ⇨ 'text/plain'
mime.getType('dir/text.txt');   // ⇨ 'text/plain'
mime.getType('dir\\text.txt');  // ⇨ 'text/plain'
mime.getType('.text.txt');      // ⇨ 'text/plain'
mime.getType('.txt');           // ⇨ 'text/plain'

null is returned in cases where an extension is not detected or recognized

mime.getType('foo/txt');        // ⇨ null
mime.getType('bogus_type');     // ⇨ null

mime.getExtension(type)

Get file extension for the given mime type. Charset options (often included in Content-Type headers) are ignored.

mime.getExtension('text/plain');               // ⇨ 'txt'
mime.getExtension('application/json');         // ⇨ 'json'
mime.getExtension('text/html; charset=utf8');  // ⇨ 'html'

mime.getAllExtensions(type)

[!Note] New in mime@4

Get all file extensions for the given mime type.

mime.getAllExtensions('image/jpeg'); // ⇨ Set(3) { 'jpeg', 'jpg', 'jpe' }

Custom Mime instances

The default mime objects are immutable. Custom, mutable versions can be created as follows...

new Mime(type map [, type map, ...])

Create a new, custom mime instance. For example, to create a mutable version of the default mime instance:

import { Mime } from 'mime/lite';

import standardTypes from 'mime/types/standard.js';
import otherTypes from 'mime/types/other.js';

const mime = new Mime(standardTypes, otherTypes);

Each argument is passed to the define() method, below. For example new Mime(standardTypes, otherTypes) is synonomous with new Mime().define(standardTypes).define(otherTypes)

mime.define(type map [, force = false])

[!Note] Only available on custom Mime instances

Define MIME type -> extensions.

Attempting to map a type to an already-defined extension will throw unless the force argument is set to true.

mime.define({'text/x-abc': ['abc', 'abcd']});

mime.getType('abcd');            // ⇨ 'text/x-abc'
mime.getExtension('text/x-abc')  // ⇨ 'abc'

Command Line

Extension -> type

$ mime scripts/jquery.js
text/javascript

Type -> extension

$ mime -r image/jpeg
jpeg