---
title: "type(ofFile:)"
framework: appkit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "appkit/nsworkspace/type(offile:)"
---

# type(ofFile:)

Returns the uniform type identifier of the specified file, if it can be determined.

## Declaration

```swift
func type(ofFile absoluteFilePath: String) throws -> String
```

## Parameters

- `absoluteFilePath`: The absolute path of the file.

## Return Value

Return Value An NSString containing the uniform type identifier of the file at absoluteFilePath. If no UTI can be determined the return value is nil.

## Discussion

Discussion If the file at the specified path is a symbolic link, the type of the symbolic link is returned. You can safely call this method from any thread of your app. note: In Swift, this method returns a nonoptional result and is marked with the throws keyword to indicate that it throws an error in cases of failure. You call this method in a try expression and handle any errors in the catch clauses of a do statement, as described in Error Handling in The Swift Programming Language and About Imported Cocoa Error Parameters.

## See Also

### Manipulating Uniform Type Identifier Information

- [localizedDescription(forType:)](appkit/nsworkspace/localizeddescription(fortype:).md)
- [preferredFilenameExtension(forType:)](appkit/nsworkspace/preferredfilenameextension(fortype:).md)
- [filenameExtension(_:isValidForType:)](appkit/nsworkspace/filenameextension(_:isvalidfortype:).md)
- [type(_:conformsToType:)](appkit/nsworkspace/type(_:conformstotype:).md)