MIME or Multipurpose Internet Mail Exchange

A protocol that permits users to send and receive files using email via the Internet. Since its inception, MIME has been adopted in other domains as well. Web servers use MIME extensively to establish the type of data to be served out to clients. This establishment is typically done via server-side MIME settings and the “Content Type” field in the HTTP header, informing the Web client (browser) about the type of data to be sent. The information about the content type allows the client to launch an appropriate application to display the content.

See Also: Electronic Mail or Email; Internet.