.a AR archive
Archives & packages
| MIME type | application/x-archive |
|---|---|
| Description | AR archive |
| Category | Archives & packages |
| Signature (magic bytes) | 21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E (!<arch>)3C 61 72 3E (<ar>) |
| Other extensions | .ar |
Frequently asked questions
What is a .a file?
A .a file is a “AR archive” (MIME type application/x-archive).
How do I open a .a file?
With an archive tool such as 7-Zip (Windows) or the built-in archive manager on macOS or Linux. On the command line, use tar, unzip or 7z depending on the format.
How can you tell a genuine .a file?
By the bytes at the start of the file, the signature (magic bytes): 21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E (!<arch>) and 3C 61 72 3E (<ar>). On Linux and macOS, file --mime-type example.a checks the real type regardless of the extension.
Which MIME type belongs to .a?
The MIME type is application/x-archive. In the Apache web server: AddType application/x-archive .a; in nginx: types { application/x-archive a; }.