CAB File Documentation

Overview

Feature Value
Full Name Windows Cabinet File
File Extension .cab
MIME Type application/vnd.ms-cab-compressed
Developed by Microsoft
Main Usage Software installation packages, data compression, and archiving
Compression Supports DEFLATE, Quantum, and LZX compression algorithms
Max File Size Supports files up to 2 GB
Multi-Volume Archives Supports spanning across multiple CAB files
Encryption No native encryption support
Digital Signing Supports digital signatures for security
Indexing Contains an index for efficient file retrieval
File System Support for preserving file and directory structure
Metadata Can store metadata about the files and archive itself
Platform Primarily used in Windows Operating Systems
Accessibility Can be accessed and manipulated with standard Windows API calls
Recovery No built-in recovery feature for corrupted files
Integration Widely integrated into Windows installation processes and frameworks
Customization Supports custom directives for advanced packaging and installation scenarios
Related Tools Microsoft's Cabinet Maker (MAKECAB.EXE) and Extractor (EXTRACT.EXE)
Typical Application Used for distributing Windows software, patches, and updates