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Many different types of graphic file formats exist, but three
graphic file formats are generally used in web pages—GIF, JPEG,
and PNG. Currently, GIF and JPEG file formats are the best
supported and can be viewed by most browsers.
PNG files are best suited for almost any type of web graphic due
to their flexibility and small file size; however, the display of
PNG images is only partially supported in Microsoft Internet
Explorer (4.0 and later browsers) and Netscape Navigator (4.04 and
later browsers). So unless you are designing for a specific target
audience using a browser that supports the PNG format, use GIFs or
JPEGs for broader appeal.
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) files use a maximum of 256
colors, and are best for displaying noncontinuous-tone images or
those with large areas of flat colors, such as navigation bars,
buttons, icons, logos, or other images with uniform colors and
tones.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file format is the
superior format for photographic or continuous-tone images,
because JPEG files can contain millions of colors. As the quality
of a JPEG file increases, so does the file size and the file
download time. You can often strike a good balance between the
quality of the image and the file size by compressing a JPEG file.
PNG files are best suited for almost any type of web graphic due
to their flexibility and small file size; however, the display of
PNG images is only partially supported in Microsoft Internet
Explorer (4.0 and later browsers) and Netscape Navigator (4.04 and
later browsers). So unless you are designing for a specific target
audience using a browser that supports the PNG format, use GIFs or
JPEGs for broader appeal.
GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) files use a maximum of 256
colors, and are best for displaying noncontinuous-tone images or
those with large areas of flat colors, such as navigation bars,
buttons, icons, logos, or other images with uniform colors and
tones. |
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