PNG has become one of the most used lossless compression formats when designing a website. It was created to oversee the transfer of pictures via the internet rather than through print graphics.
As for images on the web, there is not a universal file format that will fit all situations on a website design. However, making sure you choose the correct format for your image can drastically improve your site’s performance. The other option of incorrect file format will create a user experience that is unfavorable. In the following paragraphs, we will conclude the waging war between JPG and PNG.
PNG vs JPG: the difference
Portable Network Graphics, or PNG, has what would sound like the perfect title for you to expect it to be the ultimate format for all images on the Internet. Not to mention the losses format that PNG offers. When a file format is described as lossless, it refers to how the image quality will not decrease during compression.
JPEG and JPG refer to the same type of image formatting, the Joint Photographic Experts Group. Unlike PNG, JPG utilizes lossy compression where the quality of the image can suffer as it compresses to smaller file size. The major difference between JPEG and PNG is the quality of the final image after the compression. So, PNG will give you better image quality, but there will be circumstances where you will want a lower quality image for different components of your website.
JPG: When to use it
If JPG is glossy, then what is the point of using it rather than a PNG image? JPG format is universal in the use of file storage in every camera on the market. If complex colors and unique shading are what you are looking for in an image, then JPG is the format for you. There will absolutely be a quality difference in larger images, but for a responsive page with less data, this format is necessary.
PNG: When to use it
PNG has become one of the most used lossless compression formats when designing a website. It was created to oversee the transfer of pictures via the internet rather than through print graphics. Due to this, PNG does not support non-RGB color spaces. PNG supports many levels of transparency, while JPG does not. If you are wanting a completely transparent background for your design, then PNG is the right format for your fade effects, logo design, and page headers.
Does it Matter which format you use? PNG or JPG
Using larger images will increase how long your page needs to download. Because of this, you will need to consider the size of your image when designing your web page. Compressing a JPG for faster speed will mean the image will be of lower quality, however, JPG is the best for displaying photographs so a compromise on size and quality must be found for you to have the best web page you can. PNG will have great readability of the text, so if your chosen image includes text this could be a great option for you. JPG could give the lines of the text a blurred effect creating a negative experience for the web page visitor.
