Difference between SVG and PNG

Both SVG and PNG are types of image formats to store images. SVG is a vectorbased image format where an image is represented by set of mathematical figures, whereas PNG is a binary image format that uses lossless compression algorithm to represent images as pixels.

Read this article to find out more about SVG and PNG file formats and how they are different from each other.

What is SVG?

SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics. It is a type of image file that uses vector graphics to display images, rather than the traditional raster graphics used by most image file formats, such as JPG or PNG.

In the SVG format, the image file is represented by a set of mathematical figures, allowing the image to be scaled to any size without losing resolution or quality. This makes SVG images well−suited for use on the web, where they can be resized to fit different screen sizes and devices.

Another important advantage of SVG is that we can easily edit the figure in the SVG image. SVG file is saved with a ".svg" extension. SVG images are widely used in devices that use high resolution images.

What is PNG?

PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics. PNG is again a file format used to represent image files. PNG is a pixelbased (or binary based) image format. PNG images use the ".png" extension.

PNG files use lossless compression to maintain the high quality of the original image. PNG files retain the original quality of the image while still reducing the file size. This makes PNG a popular choice for storing images that need to be preserved in their original state, such as logos or graphics with text. However, PNG images are not scalable, thus they cannot be edited like an SVG image. PNG images are mainly used to create image file for sharing over the network.

Difference between SVG and PNG

The following table highlights the important differences between SVG and PNG file formats −

Key	SVG	PNG
Stands for	SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics.	PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics.
Image type	SVG image is vector based.	PNG image is pixel based.
On Zoom	SVG image quality remains same while zooming.	PNG image quality degrades while zooming.
Basis	SVG images is made up of paths and shapes.	PNG images are made up of pixels.
Editable	SVG images are editable.	PNG images are not editable.
Extensions	SVG images use ".svg" extension.	PNG images use ".png" extension.
Usage	SVG images are used in devices using high resolution images.	PNG images are generally used in image creation.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, we may conclude that an SVG file is a vectorbased editable image file, whereas a PNG image is a pixelbased non−editable image file.