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Word Document

Filename extension .doc

Internet media type application/msword

Uniform Type Identifier com.microsoft.word.doc[1]

Developed by Microsoft
Type of format Word document
Container for Text, Image,Table

In computing, DOC or doc (an abbreviation of 'document') is a file extension for word
processing documents; most commonly for Microsoft Word. Historically, the extension was used
for documentation in plain-text format, particularly of programs or computer hardware, on a
wide range of operating systems. During the 1980s, WordPerfect used DOC as the extension of
their proprietary format. Later, in the 1990s, Microsoft chose to use the DOC extension for their
proprietary Microsoft Word word processing formats. The original uses for the extension have
largely disappeared from the PC world.

Binary DOC files often contain more text formatting information (as well as scripts and undo
information) than files using other document file formats like Rich Text Format and HyperText
Markup Language, but are usually less widely compatible.

The header of a Word 97 document begins with the magic number [0xD0 0xCF 0x11] which
possibly spells out "DOC Format 11".

The DOC format varies among Microsoft Office Word Formats. Word versions up to 97 used a
different format from Microsoft Word version between 97 and 2003.

In Microsoft Office Word 2007 the binary file format was replaced as the default format by the
new XML based Office Open XML format. The filename extensions of this format are .docx
or .docm. Microsoft Office Word 2010 uses the same format, and is supported by Office 2007.

The DOC format is native to Microsoft Office Word, but other software, such as the free
software word processors OpenOffice.org Writer, Apple iWork#Pages and AbiWord, can create
and read .doc files. Command line programs for Unix-like operating systems which can convert
files from the DOC format to plain text or other standard formats include the wv library, which
itself is used directly by AbiWord and as a source of ideas and some coding by KWord. Because
the .doc file format was a closed specification for many years, inconsistent handling of the
format persists and may cause some loss of formatting information when handling the same file
with multiple word processing programs.
The format specification was available from Microsoft on request until February 2008.
Following reverse engineering the documentation which was done by Sun and OpenOffice.org,[2]
Microsoft released the .DOC format specification[3] under the Microsoft Open Specification
Promise.[4]