Choosing an Image Format for Web Design and Development

There is no denying the fact that GIF and JPEG are two of the most popular choice of users when they are saving an image. In fact, most of us have been using these two image formats for a very long time. However, over the last few years, we have seen the emergence of several new image formats. Several experts claim that these image formats are far more efficient than the older ones.

As there are plenty of image formats out there, developers will surely struggle to identify the right format that is suitable for their project. It is crucial to realize the fact that each and every image format has its own set of pros and cons. So, you will need to learn about each one of these image formats. However, if you are wondering where to get started, then do not worry because we have got you covered.

WEBP

Google developed the WEBP image format a few years ago. This format was launched to introduce a single web-capable image format that can be used for different projects. WEBP is one of the best options available to users who are looking for an excellent alternative to GIF, PNG, and JPG image formats. However, the major downfall of WEBP is that it doesn’t have universal support.

One of the best things about the WEBP image format is that it supports lossless compression. You should also note that this image format contains several innovative features and functionalities that includes block prediction. An important thing to note is that iOS, Safari, and Apple do not support the WEBP image format.

PNG

PNG or Portable Network Graphics was originally launched in 1995. Developers launched this format as a replacement for the GIF format. If you are using PNG, then you will not have to worry about image size or fitting in images with larger sizes. An interesting thing to note is that the PNG-24 image format was capable of supporting approximately 256 indexed colors.

The PNG image format is capable of supporting animation and it can also accommodate static images. Even if you compress an image to this format, you will not end up losing any data, and the quality of the image will not be compromised. Several experts believed that the PNG format is the ideal choice when it comes to screenshots.

GIF

As most of you are probably aware, the Graphics Interchange Format or GIF is used by millions of developers from all over the globe. It might come as a huge surprise to many readers when they hear that the GIF format was released approximately 3o years ago. One of the highlighting aspects of GIF is that it is capable of accommodating more than 256 indexed colors, which is pretty impressive.

High-quality images that are being saved in the GIF format will surely impress your site visitors. In fact, it may even urge them to check out these images. So, if you post stunning images of your products in GIF format, then your existing customers and potential clients will surely check it out.

JPG

Joint Photographic Experts Group or JPG is one of the most popular and widely used image formats. This format was originally introduced in 1986. The best thing about JPG format is that the storage space occupied by it is relatively smaller. In addition, images that are in JPG format can be easily uploaded and downloaded without compromising the quality. This will capture the attention of site visitors instantly.

The JPG image format offers support for a wide variety of colors. This is one of the major reasons that make the JPG file format an ideal choice of all types of real-life images. Images that are in JPG format works well on most social media platforms too. So, you should consider adding images in this format while uploading images on Facebook and Instagram.

SVG

SVG, which is popularly known as Scalable Vector Graphics is one of the best image formats available out there. This image format was released just five years ago. Several website designers and developers prefer the SVG image format over PNG and JPG. This is mainly because images that are in the SVG image format appears to be clear and crisp.

So, if you are looking for an image format that will make your product images a lot more appealing, then it is best to choose the SVG image format over other choices. High quality images that are in the SVG format will surely capture the attention of both your potential clients and existing customers.

Conclusion

If you are hearing about all these types of image formats for the first time in your life, then you may not know which one of them is the ideal choice for you. If that’s the case, then you should consider reaching out to us because we will help you to make an informed decision.