See also :Category:Graphics file formats
Here is a summary of the most common graphics file formats:
\n| Common Raster Graphics Formats |
|---|
\n\n| file extension | \nMIME type | \nproper name | \ndescription | \n
\n\n| .bmp | \nimage/bmp | \nWindows Bitmap | \nCommonly used by Microsoft Windows programs, and the Windows operating system itself. Lossless compression can be specified, but some programs use only uncompressed files. | \n
\n\n| .fpx | \nimage/vnd.fpx | \nFlashpix (1.0.2) | \nUncompressed / lossy, 8-bit grayscale & 24-bit color. Provides multiple resolutions of each image. | \n
\n\n| .gif | \nimage/gif | \nGraphics Interchange Format | \nUsed extensively on the web, but sometimes avoided due to patent issues. Supports animated images. Supports only 255 colors per frame, so requires lossy quantization for full-color photos; using multiple frames can improve color precision. Uses lossless, patented LZW compression. This patent expired in the United States in 2003, but is still effective in Europe, Japan and Canada. | \n
\n\n| .iff .ilbm | \n? | \nInterchange file format / Interleave bitmap | \nFile format popular on the Amiga computer. ILBM is a subtype of the IFF fileformat, which can contain more as just pictures. | \n
\n\n.jpeg
.jpg | \nimage/jpeg | \nJoint Photographic Experts Group | \nUsed extensively for photos on the web. Uses lossy compression; the quality can vary greatly depending on the compression settings. | \n
\n\n| .mng | \nvideo/x-mng | \nMultiple-image Network Graphics | \nAnimation format using datastreams similar to those of PNG and JPEG, originally designed to replace the use of animated GIF on the web. Free of the patent associated with animated GIF. | \n
\n\n| .pbm | \n? | \nPortable Bitmap Format | \nA simple black and white graphics format. It uses 1 bit per pixel. Unlike most graphics file formats, a PBM file is plain text and can be processed with text procesing tools. It is related to the PGM (grayscale) and PPM (color) graphics file formats. | \n
\n\n| .pcd | \nimage/jpcd ?? | \nImagePac Photo CD | \nProprietary Kodak format, lossy, 24-bit color. | \n
\n\n| .pgm | \n? | \nPortable Graymap Format | \nA simple gray scale graphics format. It uses 8 bits per pixel. Unlike most graphics file formats, a PGM file is plain text and can be processed with text procesing tools. It is related to the PBM (black and white) and PPM (color) graphics file formats. | \n
\n\n| .png | \nimage/png | \nPortable Network Graphics | \nLossless compressed bitmap image format, originally designed to replace the use of GIF on the web. Free of the patent, which expired in 2003, associated with GIF. | \n
\n\n| .ppm | \n? | \nPortable Pixmap Format | \nA simple color graphics format. It uses 24 bit per pixel, 8 for red, 8 for blue, and 8 for green. Unlike most graphics file formats, a PPM file is plain text and can be processed with text procesing tools. It is related to the PBM (black and white) and PGM (grayscale) graphics file formats. | \n
\n\n| .psd | \napplication/x-photoshop | \nPhotoshop Document | \nStandard Adobe format for Photoshop documents. Has many extra features such as image layering. Supported by very few programs other than Adobe Photoshop. | \n
\n\n| .psp | \n? | \nPaint Shop Pro Document | \nStandard Jasc format for Paint Shop Pro documents, similar to .psd for Photoshop. Supported by very few other programs. | \n
\n\n| .tiff, .tif | \nimage/tiff | \nTagged Image File Format | \nUsed extensively for traditional print graphics. Lossy and lossless compression available, but many programs only support a subset of available options. | \n
\n\n| .wbmp | \nimage/vnd.wap.wbmp | \nWireless Application Protocol Bitmap Format | \nMainly used with WML for wireless devices. | \n
\n\n| .xbm | \nimage/x-xbitmap | \nX BitMap | \nNative B&W format for the X Window System, supported by most web browsers. An ASCII format which uses no compression designed so that files are in C(++) syntax so images can be included in source code. | \n
\n\n| .xcf | \n? | \neXperimental Computing Facility | \nNative format for the GIMP. Has many extra features such as image layering. Used mostly in the GIMP, but also readable by ImageMagick. | \n
\n\n| .xpm | \nimage/x-xpm | \nX-Pixmap | \nUsed almost exclusively on UNIX platforms with the X Window System, inspired by the XBM format. | \n
\n\n| ? | \n? | \nOpenEXR | \nA high dynamic range imaging file format, open sourced by Industrial Light and Magic. | \n
\n
\n | Common Vector Graphics Formats |
|---|
\n\n| file extension | \nMIME type | \nproper name | \ndescription | \n
\n\n| .ai | \napplication/illustrator | \nAdobe Illustrator Document | \nVector format for Adobe Illustrator. | \n
\n\n| .cgm | \nimage/cgm | \nComputer Graphics Metafile | \nISO Standard - It is used in the aviation industry. (CGM members)\n |
\n\n| .dxf | \nimage/vnd.dxf | \nASCII Drawing Interchange | \nStandard ASCII text files used to store vector data for CAD programs.\n |
\n\n| .eps | \n? | \nEncapsulated PostScript | \nA PostScript file that describes a small vector graphic, as opposed to a whole page or set of pages. | \n
\n\n| .fh | \n? | \nMacromedia Freehand Document | \nVector format for Macromedia Freehand. | \n
\n\n| .fla | \n? | \nFlash Source File | \nShockwave Flash source file, only usable by Macromedia Flash authoring software. | \n
\n\n| .pdf | \napplication/pdf | \nPortable Document Format | \nA much simplified version of PostScript allowing for files containing multiple pages and links. Works with Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe eBook Reader. | \n
\n\n| .ps | \napplication/postscript | \nPostScript | \nGeneric vector-based page description language, created and owned by Adobe. Postscript is a powerful stack-based programming language. Supported by many laser printers. | \n
\n\n| .svg | \nimage/svg+xml | \nScalable Vector Graphics | \nAn XML based vector graphics format, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium for use in web browsers.\n |
\n\n| .swf | \napplication/x-shockwave-flash | \nFlash | \nFlash is a web page plug-in that displays vector based animations contained in SWF files. Several applications can create SWF files; these include the Flash authoring tool from Macromedia. | \n
\n\n| .wmf | \nimage/x-wmf | \nWindows Metafile | \nStores vector graphics and raster graphics as a sequence of commands to be issued to the graphics layer of the Microsoft Windows operating system.\n |
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Some file formats, e.g.
, allow both raster and vector graphics. This is because the underlying
