Format Guide
Understand image formats, when to use each, and their tradeoffs.
HEIC vs JPG — What's the difference?
HEIC and JPG are both photo formats, but they have important differences. HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) Developed by: MPEG group, adopted by Apple in 2017 Compression: HEVC (H.265) — significantly more efficient than JPEG File size: Roughly 50% smaller than JPG at the same visual...
WebP explained — The modern web format
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior compression for web images. Key features 25-34% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality (Google’s claim, widely confirmed) Supports transparency (like PNG) with lossy or lossless compression Supports animation (like...
When to use PNG vs JPG
PNG and JPG are the two most common image formats online, but they serve different purposes. JPG — Best for photos Lossy compression — Some quality is lost on each save Small file size — Great for photographs with complex color gradients No transparency — Background is always opaque 8-bit color...
Understanding AVIF — Next-gen compression
AVIF is the newest mainstream image format, offering exceptional compression efficiency. What is AVIF? Based on: AV1 video codec (developed by the Alliance for Open Media) Released: 2019 Compression: 20-50% smaller than WebP, 50%+ smaller than JPG Features: Transparency, HDR, wide color gamut,...