How do DOC and HTMLcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Microsoft Word Document (Legacy)
DOC is the legacy binary format used by Microsoft Word before 2007. While still widely encountered, it has been superseded by DOCX. Many older documents and templates still use this format.
HyperText Markup Language
HTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages. While primarily a web technology, HTML files are also used as a portable document format with rich formatting and multimedia support.
| Specification | DOC | HTML |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Word Document (Legacy) | HyperText Markup Language |
| Extension | .doc | .html |
| MIME type | application/msword | text/html |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | Microsoft | W3C / WHATWG |
| Year introduced | 1983 | 1993 |
DOC and HTML serve different purposes. DOC is ideal for opening legacy documents, while HTML excels at web pages and email newsletters.
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