Today we will talk about what an SVG file is and what it is for, how it works and when it should be used , in addition to the advantages it provides.
Index( )
- What is SVG file?
- What is a vector
- What you should know about the file or SVG
- Is scalable
- It’s great for websites and logos
- Cannot be used for photographs
- What is the SVG file format typically used for?
- In what situation is it recommended to use this type of file?
- What mainly characterizes an SVG file?
- Advantages of using an SVG file
- Disadvantages of this file type
- What other similar options besides SVG are there?
What is SVG file?
The file, or SVG, gets its name from Scalable Vector Graphics , which translates as scalable vector graphics. It is a vector image format, which has become very famous for its use on the Internet.
The format’s official launch was on September 4, 2001, but its relevance has grown in recent years, thanks to its incorporation on the web. In any case, since the mid-2000s, the format has been standardized in the best browsers and also in other applications designed to view the visual content of an image.
SVG images have a particularity that differentiates them from other formats. In fact, SVG files are documents in XML format , so image information can be completely edited.
What is a vector
If it is still not clear to you how images in SVG format work, it is fair to indicate again that they are vectors. That is, the differences between PNG, JPG, GIF and BMP and these are very large. In fact, SVG allows for a somewhat deeper and very different interaction.
A vector is described as a mathematical entity, which allows the representation of different magnitudes , which in more complex terms are capable of creating figures and therefore images. This condition allows the image to be edited textually, unlike the other formats that can only be edited with photo editing programs .
A very outstanding aspect of this format is that it is completely scalable. Although we will talk about this a little later.
What you should know about the file or SVG
There are a few things to keep in mind if you want to use this format. Next we will discuss some advantages and disadvantages of the SVG format .
Is scalable
As we pointed out before, what is possibly the most prominent advantage of this type of file is that it is completely scalable. In other words, the images in SVG format can be reduced and adjusted to any size without limits, maintaining the same quality at all times .
Surely you have noticed that when increasing the size of an image in JPG, PNG, GIF, etc. it loses quality and looks pixelated. This does not happen with files in SVG format, since, being a vector object, all the information is written in a code.
In a simple way, you can increase the resolution of an image in SVG format and it will continue to have the same quality at all times. The change can be as drastic as scaling the image from 50 × 50 px to 3000 × 3000 px or even more and it will always render optimally .
It’s great for websites and logos
Possibly the most common use of images in SVG format, it appears on web platforms. This has several reasons, firstly, because the weight of the images in SVG format is very low .
In fact, the PNG format, which goes very well with logos and other clipart, has sizes much larger than the SVG format, even after optimizing the resolution of the photos or images . Similarly, it is a format designed almost exclusively for logos, being ideal for this purpose.
Cannot be used for photographs
Returning to the fact that the format or SVG is a vector format, it is not possible to use it for photographs , at least not efficiently. For this reason, this format is not really recommended for complex or colored images, but it is great for logos or other similar uses.
What is the SVG file format typically used for?
The Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format is used so that the image does not lose quality or become pixelated. This format is the best friend of visual communication professionals, be they graphic designers, illustrators or social communicators.
The images that are known usually have formats: .jpg, .png, .gif; They are also called standard or bitmap images, as they tend to lose quality when redirected. This does not happen with the SVG format because vector images weigh less megabytes.
In what situation is it recommended to use this type of file?
Despite being an unrecognized format, it is a very useful resource, especially in web environments. Much of the communications and non-union population uses bitmap files such as JPG. Or PNG and GIF if a transparent background or animated image is needed without knowing which SVG includes everything.
This vector format apart from giving advantages in graphic design, offers many opportunities for any digital environment such as web applications. Because when planning a digital marketing campaign or designing the graphics that are included in a website, this is the optimal format, therefore the most recommended.
What mainly characterizes an SVG file?
It is characterized by being a vector format that allows more accessibility to its reconstruction or dissemination on different digital platforms. It is a two-dimensional vector graphics format that can also be animated or in XML format. At the same time, it is a supported format in any browser.
Advantages of using an SVG file
One of the most outstanding advantages is its definition as a vector image, since it means that we can scale, stretch and save it without losing its quality. It is also important to note that it weighs a few megabytes allowing a larger illustration in reduced sizes, unlike the standard formats already mentioned.
Also, SVG is an equivalent format to that used in design programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. Which, allows you to use the fonts with paths and include them within the file in TrueType and Type 1 format. Which means that it has great capacity for search engines to index to improve SEO or Search Engine Optimization.
Being an effective ally of designers, it should be noted that they facilitate the design of web applications, making them adapt to any screen (computer, tablet or smartphone). For example, the icons resized according to the size of each screen without losing quality or having to use different files.
Disadvantages of this file type
In the past it could not be used in all browsers, but today all browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari support it because they adapted to the format for its advantages.
SVG is an open, standard, XML-based format, which means that you have to be rudimentary in writing code to make it work properly. This only applies to web pages that handle that language.
What other similar options besides SVG are there?
There are two other alternatives: the Vector Markup Language (VML) format, which was developed by Autodesk, Hewlett-Packard, Macromedia, Microsoft, and Visio Corporation; and there is also the Precision Graphics Markup Language (PGML) format, developed by Adobe Systems, IBM, Netscape, and Sun Microsystems.