| 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 | Graphics Interchange Format |
| Extension | GIF |
| Type | Image |
| Mime Type | image/gif |
| Format | Binary |
GIF files are a popular image format on the internet and are a common format used in the distribution of internet memes. GIF files have been around since the dawn of the internet and were designed to offer high-resolution image capabilities within a small file size.
Due to their ability to be used as an animation format, GIF files have become particularly popular as the format of choice for distributing internet memes. Their lack of full 24-bit color support has, however, seen the PNG format used in preference to GIF for many applications.
Uses
GIF files are particularly useful for storing animation sequences, and this is one of the main reasons for the format's popularity. In the early days of the internet, the use of GIF files to store photographic images and other web assets declined in favor of more modern formats such as JPG and PNG.
