How to select the perfect image format?

Image optimization in web pages is both an art and science: It is an art because there is no one definite answer for how to compress an individual image to make it better, and a science as there are many algorithms and techniques that significantly makes the image perfect. Finding optimal settings for your webpage requires careful analysis of images in many dimensions along with categories like format, quality, pixel dimensions and much more.

In those, format takes a significant role in optimization. JPEGs, PNGs and GIFs, web developers know which format to use through trial, error, and long experience, but nobody understands how these formats actually work.

Below,we have shared the detailed explanation about at each format’s, to take the advantage of betterment in designing

  • 1. PNG (Portable Network Graphics) This format is exclusive for the Web images;the main advantage is its alpha-channel transparency support. PNG will be the best choice for saving the screenshots as it does not include distortions due to its lossless data-compression algorithm.
  • 2. JPG or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)– JPG format will be a best suit for digital photos or high-colour screenshots with background, it performs lesser with detailed images, or images with text.
  • 3. GIF (Graphic Interchange Format)– This format is capable of storing picture with 8-bit color and ends up with 256 color in total. It is a user friendly format and applicable for all web images. It also provides a very good compression for solid color images.
  • 4. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)-It is flexible and suitable for holding a pack of images and data within a single file. Images in this format can be edited and re-saved without losing quality.
  • 5. BMP (Bitmap)– BMP image file is 10-15 times larger than the same image stored as PNG or JPG file. This is the reason why BMP is not used on the web in these days.

Digital Atrium is capable of adopting best practices followed in website development and picking up the best image format to exactly serve the purpose of clients. To know more about our solutions, view our portfolio or Leave us an enquiry. Let’s discuss your project in detail.