PNGkuvaformaatti

PNGkuvaformaatti, often referred to as PNG, is a raster graphics file format that supports lossless data compression. It was developed as a patent-free replacement for the GIF file format. PNG files are commonly used on the internet for web graphics, photographs, and other images requiring high visual fidelity. The format is widely supported by web browsers and image editing software.

The Portable Network Graphics format offers several advantages over other image formats. It supports transparency, allowing for images with adjustable opacity or fully transparent backgrounds. This is particularly useful for web design where images need to blend seamlessly with varying background colors. PNG also handles a wide range of colors, supporting true color (24-bit) and grayscale images with up to 16 bits per channel.

Unlike JPEG, which uses lossy compression and can result in artifacts, PNG's lossless compression ensures that no image data is lost during the compression process. This makes it ideal for images with sharp lines, text, or solid color areas, such as logos and illustrations. However, the lossless nature of PNG can lead to larger file sizes compared to lossy formats like JPEG, especially for photographic images. PNG is also well-suited for images that will undergo multiple editing rounds, as repeated saving in a lossy format would degrade quality. The format was designed with the web in mind, facilitating efficient transmission and display of graphics.