| Full Name | Portable Network Graphics |
| Extension | PNG |
| Type | Image |
| Mime Type | image/png |
| Format | Binary |
A PNG file is a two-dimensional image file format often used to store high-quality logos, icons, and other imagery. PNG files first emerged in the early 1990s as an alternative to the GIF format, which was in widespread use at the time. PNG files have garnered support over the years to at least equal or surpass that of the GIF format. You will find all modern image editing or viewing applications will support PNG files.
Part of the success of the PNG format is its use of special compression techniques that allow a high-resolution image to be compressed into a very small file size. The compression used in the PNG format is lossless compression, ensuring no image detail is lost when an image is saved to the PNG format.
Uses
The PNG format is ideally suited for storing images that require no loss of detail or have transparent areas, such as company logos and computer graphics icons. It is not suited for storing general photos as, due to the nature of the compression, it will result in very large file sizes. Other formats, such as JPEG, use a lossy compression method, and this format is better suited to full-color photographic images.
| Full Name | DirectDraw Surface |
| Extension | DDS |
| Type | Image |
| Mime Type | image/vnd-ms.dds |
| Format | Binary |
DDS files are the native image file format used by Microsoft's Direct X gaming API, which was originally developed in the early 2000s as a means for game developers to store texture images in a standard format that are used in 3D game worlds.
The format was enhanced over the years to add lossy and lossless compression and other features applicable to 3D game development. The format has gained some modest support within image editing applications over the years; however, specialist image viewing software is needed to open and display DDS files on many devices.
Uses
The primary use for DDS files is in the realm of videogames, in particular those that run on Microsoft Windows-based machines such as PCs. DDS files are used to store imagery that is applied as textured materials to the surfaces of objects within 3D worlds; they can also be used in 2D applications.
