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Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File (.chi)

.chi file signature | application/octet-stream

Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
49 54 53 46

Sources: Gary Kessler

Extension

.chi

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .chi files in Python

Python
def is_chi(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid CHI by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x49, 0x54, 0x53, 0x46])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(4) == signature

How to validate .chi files in Node.js

Node.js
function isCHI(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x49, 0x54, 0x53, 0x46]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .chi files in Go

Go
func IsCHI(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x49, 0x54, 0x53, 0x46}
    if len(data) < 4 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}

API Endpoint

GET /api/v1/chi
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/chi

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .chi file?

A .chi file is a Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File file. Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File

What are the magic bytes for .chi files?

The magic bytes for Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File files are 49 54 53 46 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .chi file?

To validate a .chi file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (49 54 53 46) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .chi files?

There is no officially registered MIME type for .chi files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.

Is it safe to open .chi files?

Microsoft Compiled HTML Help File (.chi) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.