Common Image Types

When discussing images for the web that can be integrated using HTML, it typically involves specifying image files within your HTML code using the tag. The src attribute of the tag is used to define the path to the image file you want to display on the webpage. There are several image file types commonly used on the web, each with its own advantages and use cases. Here are some of the most common ones: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) File Extension: .jpg or .jpeg Use Case: Best for photographs and realistic images with smooth gradients and colors. JPEGs use lossy compression, which reduces file size but can also reduce quality if compressed too much. PNG (Portable Network Graphics) File Extension: .png Use Case: Ideal for images requiring transparency or images with text, sharp edges, and logos. PNGs support lossless compression, meaning the quality isn’t compromised, but the file sizes can be larger than JPEGs for high-resolution images. GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) File Extension: .gif Use Case: Suitable for simple animations and images with a limited color palette (up to 256 colors). GIFs also support transparency but are not recommended for full-color photographs due to the color limitation. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) File Extension: .svg Use Case: Best for icons, logos, and illustrations that need to scale without losing quality. SVGs are vector-based, meaning they can be scaled to any size without increasing file size or losing image quality, making them perfect for responsive design. WebP File Extension: .webp Use Case: Developed by Google, WebP is a modern format that provides superior lossless and lossy compression for images on the web. It supports transparency (like PNG) and can provide smaller file sizes at comparable quality to JPEG and PNG, making it increasingly popular for web use. To include an image in an HTML document, you use the tag like so: html Copy code The alt attribute is important for accessibility, providing a text description of the image for screen readers and in cases where the image cannot be displayed. Each of these image formats has its strengths and is chosen based on the needs of the website, such as the importance of image quality, file size, transparency, or animation.