I have trouble understanding file formats, or maybe I have figured it out. Please help me!
A file format is a specification that tells how the data of a file is arranged and thus how it is to be interpreted. Does this mean, for instance, that data arranged according to a JPEG (an image format and codec) will tell my computer that the data is to be interpreted as an image?
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Basically, yes! The file type extension (.jpg .gif .whatever) tells the computer operating system (OS) what processes to use when opening the file. They read (expect to find) a header section of the file containing things like the date, size, x and y pixel size, as well as other info like geocaching. Then the OS knows how to display the file through whatever app is in use.
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