Advantages and disadvantages of SVG format

1. Advantages and disadvantages
2. How to use the SVG

Today we will focus on vector graphics format SVG.You can read about vector graphics and its difference from the raster format here. Also we have mentioned about SVG in the article “Graphic file formats – JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF”.

Now lets try to discover this format in more detail. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) appeared in 1999. It was developed and implemented to represent the image and its elements (figures, objects, drawings ) in special text format (XML).

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Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

– small size. SVG image elements take up much less space than their twins created in raster format;

– flexibility. With CSS, you can quickly change the graphics settings on the site, such as background color or the position of the logo on the page. To do this, you can edit the file in any text editor;

– scalability without changing the image quality. It is widely used for devices with screens Retina and those close to them;

– it’s possible to view the contents of the SVG file in any browser (IE, Chrome, Opera, FireFox, Safari, etc.).

Cons:

– the file size is growing very fast, if the object consists of a large number of small elements;

– it’s impossible to read a part of the graphic object, only the entire object and it slows you down.

How to use the SVG

SVG is used for creating icons for websites. Image is stretched and compressed without losing the image quality and it doesn’t look blurred on devices with high pixel density. It is relevant for smartphones and tablets. In addition, these files can be opened by any browser.