┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF)
│ CATEGORY : Document
│ MIME TYPE : application/epub+zip
│ MAGIC BYTES : 504B0304
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an EPUB file?
EPUB (Electronic Publication) is the most widely supported open eBook format. Developed by the IDPF (now part of W3C), EPUB files are ZIP archives containing XHTML content, CSS styling, images, and metadata. EPUB 3 supports reflowable and fixed-layout content, audio, video, and interactive elements.
How to open EPUB files
- Apple Books (macOS, iOS) — Built-in
- Calibre (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free, feature-rich
- Kobo eReaders — Native EPUB support
- Google Play Books (Android, Web) — Upload and read
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | ZIP with XHTML/CSS |
| Current Version | EPUB 3.3 (W3C) |
| Layout | Reflowable or fixed |
| DRM | Adobe DRM, Apple FairPlay |
| Accessibility | Full WCAG support in EPUB 3 |
Common use cases
- eBooks: Commercial and self-published digital books.
- Digital magazines: Rich media periodicals.
- Documentation: Technical manuals and guides.
- Academic publishing: Textbooks and research papers.