What is the correct media type for JavaScript source code?
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Join For FreeQuestion: What media type should you use for JavaScript source code? Answer [via Brendan Eich] and explanations after the break.
The correct JavaScript media type
There are many JavaScript media types in use. Examples:application/ecmascript application/javascript application/x-ecmascript application/x-javascript text/ecmascript text/javascript text/javascript1.0 text/javascript1.1 text/javascript1.2 text/javascript1.3 text/javascript1.4 text/javascript1.5 text/jscript text/livescript text/x-ecmascript text/x-javascriptWhich one of those is correct? RFC 4329 has the answer:
Use of the “text” top-level type for this kind of content is known to be problematic. This document thus defines text/javascript and text/ecmascript but marks them as “obsolete”. Use of experimental and unregistered media types, as listed in part above, is discouraged. The media types,However: While text/javascript is considered obsolete, it might still be necessary to use it if you want your code to run on Internet Explorer 8. Quoting machineghost on Stack Overflow [via Gezim Hoxha]:which are also defined in this document, are intended for common use and should be used instead.
- application/javascript
- application/ecmascript
Moral of the story: if you want IE8 to work DO NOT use "application/javascript" for your JS files' MIME type [a.k.a. media type].
Uses of the media type
The (internet) media type of JavaScript source code is mainly needed in two cases:- When serving code via a web server.
- As the value of an optional attribute of the script tag:
<script type="application/javascript"> ... </script>
This scheme might be extended in the future to switch on support for ECMAScript.next (which will probably eventually be called ECMAScript 6):<script type="application/javascript;version=6"> ... </script>
From http://www.2ality.com/2011/08/javascript-media-type.html
Media type
Media (communication)
JavaScript
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