Codes and content are important; however, graphics carry the weight of the website and enhances user experience. For any website: architectural, engineering or social, graphics are a must because they convey substantial information and play a significant role in engaging the users.
Graphics require space which results in slow downloads. To conserve bandwidth, the best remedy is to minimize the image file without losing colour, consistency, image quality and resolution.
Use the right format in web design process for better and perfect results. Professional web development is all about understanding and using the most suitable formats.
GIF – Graphic Interchange Format – is a 256 color lossless compression format – every pixel of the original image is retained in the optimized image. It is compatible with all web browsers and is best for depicting logos, drawings and simple graphics. They are useful to create animated web designs and keeps the viewers engaged. A GIF is the perfect ‘middle ground’ between a picture and a video. It is a quick animation which is catchy and ensures retention.
JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group – can include sixteen million plus colors. JPEG is highly useful for detailed and realistic images. Unlike GIFs, JPEGs accord true colors and are not limited to a specific palette resulting in a much smaller file size. It is very important to note that highly compressed JPEG images have the potential to be pixelated.
PNG – Portable Network Graphic – Most popular browsers handle both PNGs, 8 bit and 24 bit, pretty well. Like a GIF, it optimizes images with lossless compression. PNGs are always preferred for web design technology because they support transparency; furthermore, because of a limited palette a PNG yields better results than a GIF.