What file extension is used for plain text files?

The file extension used for plain text files is .txt. This format is specifically designed for storing unformatted text, making it easily readable and editable by various text editors such as Notepad, TextEdit, or more advanced text processing software. Plain text files contain no special formatting, meaning they do not support elements such as bold, italic, or different font sizes, which is why they are ideal for storing straightforward textual data without any additional markup or styling.

In contrast, the other file extensions serve different purposes. HTML files (.html) are used for hypertext documents that can be displayed in web browsers, containing structured content and tags to define elements on a webpage. PDF (.pdf) files are formatted documents that preserve the layout and appearance regardless of the platform used to view them, often used for sharing finalized documents. XML (.xml) files are designed to store and transport structured data with a focus on easy readability by both humans and machines, using customizable tags to define data elements. Each of these formats has specific functionalities that go beyond plain text representation.