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Here is a summary of the most common graphics file formats:
| Common Raster Graphics Formats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| file extension | MIME type | proper name | description |
| .bmp | image/bmp | Windows Bitmap | Commonly used by Microsoft Windows programs, and the Windows operating system itself. Lossless compression can be specified, but some programs use only uncompressed files. |
| .tif | image/tiff | Tagged Image File Format | Used extensively for traditional print graphics. Lossy and non-lossy compression available, but many programs only support a subset of available options. |
| .png | image/png | Portable Network Graphics | New format designed primarily for web graphics, intended to replace "gif" format. Uses non-lossy compression. |
| .gif | image/gif | Graphics Interchange Format | Used extensively on the web. Supports only 256 colors, so requires lossy quantization for full-color photos. Uses non-lossy compression. Supports animated images. |
| .jpeg .jpg |
image/jpeg | Joint Photographic Experts Group | Used extensively on the web. Uses lossy compression; the quality can vary greatly depending on the compression settings. |
| .xpm | image/x-xpm | X-Pixmap | Used almost exclusively on UNIX platforms. Uses no compression. |
| .psd | ? | Photoshop Document | Standard Adobe format for Photoshop documents. Has many extra features such as image layering. Supported by very few programs other than Adobe Photoshop. |
| .psp | ? | Paint Shop Pro Document | Standard Jasc format for Paint Shop Pro documents, similar to .psd for Photoshop. Supported by very few other programs. |
| Common Vector Graphics Formats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| file extension | MIME type | proper name | description |
| .ps | application/postscript | PostScript | Generic vector-based page description language, created and owned by Adobe. |
| .eps | ? | Encapsulated PostScript | A PostScript file that describes a small vector graphic, as opposed to a whole page. |
| application/pdf | Portable Document Format | A PostScript file containing multiple pages and links, that works with Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe eBook Reader. | |
| .ai | ? | Adobe Illustrator Document | Vector format for Adobe Illustrator. |
| .fh | ? | Macromedia Freehand Document | Vector format for Macromedia Freehand. |
| .swf | ? | Shockwave Flash | Shockwave Flash is a web page plug-in that displays vector based animations. The Flash authoring tool from Macromedia is required in order to author .swf documents. |
| .fla | ? | Flash Source File | Shockwave Flash source file, only usable by Macromedia Flash authoring software. |
| .svg | ? | Scalable Vector Graphics | An XML based vector graphics format, as defined by the W3 consortium for use in web browsers. |