What mime-type should I return for a python string

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+2 Q:

What mime-type should I return for a python string

I have a web API that returns python dictionaries or lists as a response that I eval() in python scripts that use the API, for completness I wanted to set a proper content-type but not sure what would be best to use "text/x-python" or maybe "application/python", or something else?

[edit] I'm also outputting JSON, I'm doing Python as an option mainly for internal use.[/edit]

+6 A:

I doubt there's an established MIME type. Have you considered using JSON instead, it is almost the same as a Python dict, and has a better established culture of tools and techniques.

Ned Batchelder 2008-11-06 16:38:35

I agree that JSON might well be best. Plus call eval() on some arbitrary string retrieved from a web service seems a little insecure...

John Montgomery 2008-11-06 16:45:46

I'm outputting both as an option, I settled on "application/json" for that one. Internally we use alot of python so I wanted to provide something that had required no external modules to use.

RaySl 2008-11-06 16:47:09

The json module is included in 2.6. Besides, for the most part you can eval json and get sensible results (though as John mentions, that's not necessarily a great idea).

Aaron Maenpaa 2008-11-06 18:13:03

+1 A:

The authoritative registry is at IANA and, no, there is no standard subtype for Python. So, do not use type like "application/python" but you may use private subtypes such as "text/x-python" (the one I find in the mime-support package on my Debian).

bortzmeyer 2008-11-07 12:59:35

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What mime-type should I return for a python string

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