Document
What is a .nb file?
A .nb file is a Nota Bene Text File. This is a document format, so it holds text and layout meant to be read. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .nb over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .nb file
- Try LibreOffice (free, Windows/Mac/Linux) — it opens an enormous range of current and historic document formats.
- Microsoft Word and Google Docs handle most mainstream document types.
- If nothing opens it, open it in a text editor: many older document formats have readable text inside.
The registry records this extension against Nota Bene Text File, Mathematica Notebook, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .nb file
- Once it opens in LibreOffice or Word, Save As .docx or .pdf to get it into a format you can use anywhere.
MIME type
When a .nb file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
application/mathematicaThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .nb.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nota Bene Text File | — | — | x-fmt/349 |
| Mathematica Notebook | — | application/mathematica | fmt/201 |