kuvatiedostosta

Kuvatiedosto, also referred to as image file or graphic file, is a digital file format used to store visual information such as photographs, illustrations, and digital graphics. The file contains binary data that describes pixel colors and other attributes, allowing images to be displayed, edited, and printed by computer applications and devices.

Common without significant deletion or distortions: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), PNG (Portable Network Graphics), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), BMP (Bitmap), and TIFF (Tagged Image File Format). Each format has distinct characteristics: JPEG supports lossy compression ideal for photographs, PNG offers lossless compression and alpha‑transparency suited for web graphics, GIF supports animated sequences with limited color palettes, BMP represents raw pixel data inadequate for large images, and TIFF can hold high‑color depth images used in professional publishing.

Historically, early image files such as BMP and PPM were simple and uncompressed. The introduction of JPEG in the early 1990s revolutionized web imagery with a potently compressed yet perceptually efficient format. PNG emerged in 1996 to provide a free alternative with support for transparency and lossless compression. Modern image file systems may integrate multi‑layered and metadata‑rich variants (e.g., PSD, XCF, HEIC).

Image files are integral to numerous digital media workflows, from photography and graphic design to web development, printing, and scientific imaging. They are typically exchanged using file extensions corresponding to each format and are handled by software libraries and utilities that encode, decode, and manipulate pixel data while preserving fidelity across diverse platforms.