PNG Format — What is Portable Network Graphics?
PNG is a lossless image format that supports transparency. It's ideal for graphics, logos, screenshots, and any image where quality preservation is critical.
Extension
.png
Compression
Lossless
Transparency
Yes
MIME Type
image/png
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- • Lossless compression
- • Full transparency support
- • Wide browser support
- • Great for text and sharp edges
❌ Cons
- • Larger file sizes than JPEG
- • Not ideal for photographs
- • No animation support
Best Use Cases
- Logos and icons
- Screenshots
- Graphics with text
- Images requiring transparency
Technical Details
PNG uses DEFLATE compression algorithm. It supports 8-bit and 16-bit color depths, with full alpha channel transparency. PNG files use a chunk-based structure with critical and ancillary chunks.
History
PNG was created in 1996 as a patent-free alternative to GIF. It was developed by the PNG Development Group and became a W3C Recommendation in 2003.