Is the MIME type 'image/jpg' the same as 'image/jpeg'?
No, image/jpg
is not the same as image/jpeg
.
You should use image/jpeg
. Only image/jpeg
is recognised as the actual mime type for JPEG files.
See https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3745, https://www.w3.org/Graphics/JPEG/ .
Serving the incorrect Content-Type of image/jpg
to IE can cause issues, see http://www.bennadel.com/blog/2609-internet-explorer-aborts-images-with-the-wrong-mime-type.htm.
tl;dr There is no MIME type image/jpg
; there is image/jpeg
. However, there is much variation in mappings between files with file name extension .jpg
and MIME types. In practice, nearly all software handles image files named *.jpg
in an expected manner
This particular topic is confusing because the varying association of file name extension associated to a MIME type depends which organization created the table of file name extensions to MIME types. In other words, file name extension .jpg
could be many different things.
For example, here are three "complete lists" and one RFC that with varying JPEG Image format file name extensions and the associated MIME types.
- sitepoint.com mime-types-complete-list (archived)
.jfif
,.jfif-tbnl
,.jpe
,.jpeg
,.jpg
→image/jpeg
.jfif
,.jpe
,.jpeg
,.jpg
→image/pjpeg
- freeformatter.com mime-types (archived)
.jpeg
,.jpg
→image/jpeg
.jpeg
,.jpg
→image/x-citrix-jpeg
.pjpeg
→image/pjpeg
- IANA "Media Types" (formerly known as MIME types) lists (archived)
(this document lists "names", not "file name extensions")jpg
not mentionedjpeg
→ see RFC 2045 (no mention), see RFC 2046 →image/jpeg
13JPEG
→video/JPEG
jpeg2000
→video/jpeg2000
jpm
→image/jpm
(JPEG 2000)jpx
→image/jpx
(JPEG 2000)vnd.sealedmedia.softseal.jpg
→image/vnd.sealedmedia.softseal.jpg
- RFC 3745 MIME Type Registrations for JPEG 2000 (ISO/IEC 15444)
.jpg
file extension not mentioned.jpeg
file extension not mentioned.jp2
,.jpg2
→image/jp2
(JPEG 2000)9.jpf
,.jpx
→image/jpx
(JPEG 2000 ISO-JPEG2000-2 encoded image data)10.mj2
,.mjp2
→video/mj2
(Motion JPEG 2000)11.jpm
,.jpgm
→image/jpm
(JPEG 2000 profiles and extensions)12
These "complete lists" and RFC do not have MIME type image/jpg
! But for MIME type image/jpeg
some lists do have varying file name extensions (.jpeg
, .jpg
, …). Other lists do not mention image/jpeg
.
Also, there are different types of JPEG Image formats (e.g. Progressive JPEG Image format, JPEG 2000, etcetera) and "JPEG Extensions" that may or may not overlap in file name extension and declared MIME type.
Another confusing thing is RFC 3745 does not appear to match IANA Media Types yet the same RFC is supposed to inform the IANA Media Types document. For example, in RFC 3745 .jpf
is preferred file extension for image/jpx
but in IANA Media Types the name jpf
is not present (and that IANA document references RFC 3745!).
Another confusing thing is IANA Media Types lists "names" but does not list "file name extensions". This is on purpose, but confuses the endeavor of mapping file name extensions to MIME types.
Another confusing thing: is it "mime", or "MIME", or "MIME type", or "mime type", or "mime/type", or "media type"⁉ ð§
The most official seeming document by IANA is surprisingly inadequate. No MIME type is registered for file extension .jpg
yet there exists the odd vnd.sealedmedia.softseal.jpg
. File extension.JPEG
is only known as a video
type while file extension .jpeg
is an image type (when did lowercase and uppercase letters start mattering!?). At the same time, jpeg2000
is type video
yet RFC 3745 considers JPEG 2000 an image
type! The IANA list seems to cater to company-specific jpeg formats (e.g. vnd.sealedmedia.softseal.jpg
).
In summary...
Because of the prior confusions, it is difficult to find an industry-accepted canonical document that maps file name extensions to MIME types (and vice-versa), particularly for the JPEG Image File Format.
Related question "List of ALL MimeTypes on the Planet, mapped to File Extensions?".