MIME Registry

MIME typing — functions to get a mime-type for a file using its name or its content
gnome-vfs-mime-utils
MIME Database — functions for getting information about applications and components associated with MIME types.
gnome-vfs-mime-monitor
gnome-vfs-mime-database-deprecated
Deprecated Application Registry API — formerly used for managing applications. Replaced by GnomeVFS MIME Database API

MIME types provide a standardized for denoting the content of files or file streams. GnomeVFS exposes simple methods for both identifying the MIME type of a particular file, and deciding how to act on it. The MIME and application registries provide a mapping between files of a particular mime type and applications / bonobo components which can view or edit those files. Applications such as Nautilus use this database to generate appropriate actions when files are activated.