MIME
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is an Internet standard that extends the format of email messages to support text in character sets other than ASCII, as well as attachments of audio, video, images, and application programs. It allows email to carry non-text content and multiple parts, enabling rich multimedia communication. Originally designed for email, MIME is now widely used in web protocols like HTTP for content type specification.
Developers should learn MIME when working with email systems, web development, or any application that handles file attachments or content type negotiation, as it defines how data is formatted and interpreted. It's essential for implementing email clients, servers, or APIs that send/receive multimedia, and for web development to correctly set HTTP headers like Content-Type for proper browser rendering and data handling. Use cases include sending email with attachments, uploading files via web forms, or streaming media over HTTP.