5 file types use the .bf file extension.

What is a BF file?

Game data archive format used by games developed by Cryo Interactive Entertainment; contains game data, such as objects, maps, sounds, and music in a single archive.

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Category: Game Files

Brainf*ck Source Code File

A BF file may also be a source code file written in the Brainf*ck programming language. It contains a program that is meant to be compiled using a Brainf*ck compiler. BF files contain only the characters < , > , + , - , . , , , [ , and ] , as well as development comments.

In 1992, Urban Müller created the Brainf*ck programming language. When creating Brainf*ck, Müller's goal was to create a language that could be compiled using the smallest-possible compiler. As such, the language includes only eight commands, each of which is implemented using a single character. These characters include:

While the Brainf*ck language is quite impractical, some other developers have latched onto the esoteric language and its structure. When these developers create Brainf*ck programs, they typically save them in BF files. An example Brainf*ck program, saved within a BF file, might look like this:

++++++++[>++++[>++>+++>+++>+<<<<-]>+>+>→>+[<]<-]>>.>---.+++++++..+++.>>.<-.<.+++.------.--------.>>+.>++.

NOTE: Brainf*ck source code is also saved using the .B extension.

Because BF files are plain text files, you can open and examine them using any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad (Windows), Apple TextEdit (Mac), or Github Atom (cross-platform). If you want to run the Brainf*ck program a BF file contains, you can do so using a Brainf*ck development environment or interpreter, such as Brainf*ck Interpreter (Web, Android).

Programs that open BF files

Updated: February 10, 2021

Birdfont Project File

A BF file may also be a custom font project file created by BirdFont. It contains XML-formatted text that describes a custom font. BF files are used to export fonts in common font formats, such as .TTF , .OTF , .EOT , and .SVG .

Birdfont is a font design program that allows users to create, import, and edit fonts. The program is available in both free and commercial versions, which contain many but not all of the same features. For example, the free version of Birdfont can export only fonts created under the SIL Open Font License.

When a Birdfont user saves an in-progress font design project, the project is saved as a BF file. BF files are XML files, meaning they contain plain text that is organized using an XML schema and elements. This text describes the font the user has created in Birdfont. For example, the <collection> element denotes the beginning of a new font character description.

However, when opened in Birdfont, BF files do not appear as XML files. Instead, they appear as font stylesheets that a user can interact with and edit graphically, instead of via text.

You can open a BF file in Birdfont (cross-platform). To do so, select Birdfont's sandwich menu (located in the program's upper right-hand corner), select File → Open , and then navigate to and open your BF file. The font your file describes will appear in Birdfont's Overview window.

How do I convert a BF file into a TTF, OTF, EOT, or SVG file?

To export a BF file as a TTF, OTF, EOT, or SVG file, open the file in the paid version of Birdfont and select the sandwich menu. Then, select Import and Export → Export Fonts .

Programs that open BF files

Updated: May 27, 2021

Ubisoft BigFile Game Data Archive

A BF file may also be a game data archive used by various Ubisoft video games that use the LyN and Jade game engines, such as From Dust and Just Dance 2 . It is saved in the BigFile format and contains a large portion of a game's assets, such as 3D models, character skins, maps, sound effects, music, and video files. BF files are typically bundled together to allow the game to load content efficiently during gameplay.

Ubisoft developed the BigFile format for use with its proprietary LyN and Jade game engines. Users who encounter BF files are typically gamers, modders, or developers who analyze or modify game data.

Games known to use BF files include The Adventures of Tintin: The Game , Rabbids Go Home , From Dust , Just Dance 2 , ZombiU , Beyond Good & Evil , and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time . These games span multiple platforms and were released between the mid-2000s and early 2010s.

BF files are not meant to be opened. Instead, games packaged with these engines read the contents of BF files at runtime to access the necessary data for each level, cutscene, or gameplay element.

However, users looking to modify the content in BF game archives can use custom scripts with QuickBMS to extract the contents in a BF archive.

Programs that open or reference BF files

Updated: June 20, 2025

Beef Source Code File

A BF file may also be a source code file written in the Beef programming language, an open-source language designed for game development and system-level programming. It contains human-readable code written in Beef's syntax , which is similar to the C#, C++ , and Rust languages. Developers use BF files to define application logic, structures, and functions, which they later compile into executable programs or libraries.

Brian Fete publicly released the Beef programming language in March 2020. It has since gained traction among indie game developers and systems programmers looking for an alternative to C++ with a more streamlined syntax and better safety features.

Developers write BF files in a code editor or IDE , then compile them using the Beef compiler, which converts the source code into machine code or intermediate representations (to optimize code before the final compilation). Beef also provides built-in debugging tools and a standard library for development.

NOTE: The "Beef" name reflects the language's goal of being "meatier" than C++ by offering better performance and usability.

You can open BF files with the Beef IDE, which offers syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and debugging features tailored for Beef development. Beef IDE is available for Windows, but you can also build it from source in macOS and Linux.

Alternatively, you can use Microsoft Visual Studio Code , Sublime Text , or other plain text editors, but these lack dedicated Beef integration.

Programs that open BF files

Updated: February 27, 2025