(
DOCument file) The default file format in a version of Word, Microsoft's word processing application prior to Microsoft Office 2007. DOC files use a .DOC extension and differ from text files (.TXT extension) because they contain proprietary codes that must be opened in Word or software that reads the Word format. Starting with Word 2007, versions of Word read and write DOC files; however, their default DOCX format is entirely different (see
Office Open XML).
Word Files Are De Facto Standards
Since Microsoft Word has been used by so many Windows and Mac users, the DOC and subsequent DOCX formats are de facto standards for communicating textual information. They are typically sent from one user to another as an email attachment. Contrast with
ASCII file. See
Microsoft Word and
PDF.