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What Are File Extensions?

File extensions play a great role in computing. Despite their need for computers to function as desired, many are still unfamiliar with it. Their importance and presence are often neglected. This article will focus on discussing the fundamentals of file extension and their uses.

In basic computing, we all know that a computer system consist of two main components. The hardware part for tangible units and the software side for intangible elements. Software applications are coded and defined to do sets of task. These instructions are compiled in files categorized and made distinct through their extensions often referred as suffixes. These files can be word document, images, spreadsheet, or other forms of files that computers can understand and execute. With the development of computer hardware, the increase in the numbers of software also increased and companies have to resort to single file extensions on multiple content.

Files stored on a computer system have source applications where it was created. A popular example with be documents processed with Microsoft Word application. Every time you save a work using Microsoft Word, you are asked to provide a filename for it. We provide a valid filename, but what we do not see is the file extension. Instead it is represented by the "save as type" which dictates the file extension for the document. By default, it will be given a *.doc extension since it's a word document.

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