WHL (.whl)
.whl file signature | application/zip
Wheel (WHL) is a Python package distribution format defined and maintained by the Python Packaging Authority (PyPA). It is used to distribute prebuilt Python libraries and applications for installation with tools such as pip, reducing the need to build packages from source. Because wheels are standard ZIP archives, they may contain executable code that runs during installation, so packages should be obtained from trusted sources.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
50 4B 03 04
Sources: Wikipedia
All Known Signatures
3 signature variants are documented for .whl files across multiple sources.
Extension
.whl
MIME Type
application/zip
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .whl files in Python
def is_whl(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid WHL by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x50, 0x4B, 0x03, 0x04])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(4) == signatureHow to validate .whl files in Node.js
function isWHL(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x50, 0x4B, 0x03, 0x04]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}How to validate .whl files in Go
func IsWHL(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x50, 0x4B, 0x03, 0x04}
if len(data) < 4 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/whl
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/whl
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .whl file?
A .whl file is identified by the magic bytes 50 4B 03 04 at byte offset 0. Wheel (WHL) is a Python package distribution format defined and maintained by the Python Packaging Authority (PyPA). It is used to distribute prebuilt Python libraries and applications for installation with tools such as pip, reducing the need to build packages from source. Because wheels are standard ZIP archives, they may contain executable code that runs during installation, so packages should be obtained from trusted sources.
What are the magic bytes for .whl files?
The magic bytes for WHL files are 50 4B 03 04 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .whl file?
To validate a .whl file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (50 4B 03 04) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .whl files?
The primary MIME type for .whl files is application/zip.
Is it safe to open .whl files?
WHL (.whl) 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.