SVG is a scalable vector graphic format commonly used on websites due to its small size and ability to scale without image degradation. It is based on XML, easily compressed, and cross-platform. It is natively supported by most web browsers except for Internet Explorer, which requires an external plug-in.
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a type of graphic format commonly found on websites and the Internet. Scalable vector graphics are well-suited for use on the Internet due to their small storage size and ability to scale to display sizes. Scalable vector graphics are also useful in web design due to their cross-platform nature.
One of the most unique features of SVG files is their scalability. Scalable vector graphics are different from typical raster bitmap formats such as JPEG or BMP files. Vector graphics use a set of mathematical points to define the outlines and colors of an image; this is different from bitmaps, which use pixels to define the image. This method means that a vector file can be made smaller or much larger in view without the image degradation that bitmaps suffer.
Scalable vector graphics are also based on XML. Their text-based nature makes SVG files indexable and searchable, and their XML-based means they are easily compressed. SVG files can easily be compressed by 20%, which is a big plus for conserving bandwidth in a web setting. SVG files can handle two different types of information, presenting text or vector graphics. This means that other file formats are often used to display more detailed images, such as jpegs or gifs.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) developed the scalable vector graphics format in the late 1990s. They were developed as an open system and, as such, are royalty-free. Another result of the SVG format’s development as an open system is that it is a cross-platform format. SVG files are supported on a variety of computer systems and web browsers.
The SVG format is compatible with the Microsoft® Windows® operating system, Apple® Macintosh® systems, Linux® systems and Unix® systems. SVG files are natively supported by most modern web browsers with one notable exception. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer®, the browser included with Windows® operating systems, does not natively support SVG files. However, Internet Explorer® users must have an external plug-in installed to view SVG files.
Scalable vector graphics are an example of how computer formats and software are shaped by the prominence of the Internet. The small size, scalability, and XML base lends itself well to the widespread adoption of the SVG format on websites and elsewhere on the Internet. Scalable vector graphics are just one of many web-ready file systems, and one of many to come.
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