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A file format is the specific structure and set of rules that defines how data is encoded and organized within a computer file. This structure determines how different software applications interpret, use, and display the file's contents, whether it's a document, image, video, or audio file.

How file formats work: File formats organize a file's raw binary data (a sequence of 1s and 0s) so that it can be converted back into a recognizable form, such as a picture, a song, or formatted text. This organization can be broken down into several parts:

File header: A block of data at the beginning of a file that contains information about the format and the file's contents, such as an image's dimensions or an audio file's duration.

Metadata: Information about the data itself, such as the author, creation date, and embedded image previews.

Data block: The main body of the file where the primary information is stored.