Detect File Type - Local

Local-only, offline file type detection. Uses an embedded ML model (Google Magika) to identify 214 file types by content — no network calls, no API keys, no data leaves the machine. All inference runs on-device via ONNX Runtime.

When to Use

• Identify unknown files by their content (not just extension) — locally, without sending data anywhere
• Verify that a file's extension matches its actual content
• Check MIME types before processing uploads or downloads
• Triage files in a directory by type
• Detect extension mismatches and masquerading (e.g., .pdf.exe, .xlsx.lnk)
• Flag suspicious polyglot-style payloads (for example PDF/ZIP or PDF/HTA-style chains)
• When privacy matters — file bytes never leave the local machine

Installation

pip install detect-file-type-local