xdg-mime

The xdg-mime command line tool is used to query or modify the MIME type database in a Linux environment. MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) types are used to classify files based on their content and define how they should be handled by applications.

With xdg-mime, you can retrieve the default application associated with a specific MIME type or file extension. This can be done using the xdg-mime query command followed by the desired flag, such as default, filetype, or mimetype.

Additionally, xdg-mime allows you to set or modify the default application for a specific MIME type or file extension using the xdg-mime default command. This is particularly useful when you want to change the default handler for a specific file type.

The tool also offers the ability to install and uninstall MIME type information for a specific file or group of files using the xdg-mime install or xdg-mime uninstall commands. This can be useful when you want to associate a specific MIME type with a file that doesn't have it defined automatically.

xdg-mime is part of the xdg-utils package, which provides a collection of command line tools for desktop integration. It follows the XDG (FreeDesktop.org) standard, ensuring compatibility across different Linux distributions.

Overall, xdg-mime simplifies file handling and helps manage associations between files and applications in a Linux environment. It provides a convenient way to query, modify, install, and uninstall MIME types, allowing for a smooth user experience when working with various file types.