image formats
Raster image / Vector image
The two fundamental digital image types: raster images use pixel grids, vector images use mathematical shapes.
What is Raster image / Vector image?
Raster vs vector images represent two completely different approaches to storing digital graphics. A raster image is a fixed grid of colored pixels — every JPEG, PNG, WebP, and photograph is raster — while a vector image uses mathematical instructions to describe shapes, paths, and colors that scale infinitely without quality loss. SVG is the standard vector format for web graphics.
Importance of Raster image / Vector image
Understanding raster vs vector prevents critical format selection mistakes that hurt web performance and visual quality. Using PNG or JPEG for logos creates unnecessarily large files and pixelated scaling, while attempting SVG for photographs results in massive file sizes or impossible conversion scenarios that slow page load times.
Raster image / Vector image in Practice
A company logo saved as a 200KB PNG file becomes a 3KB SVG when properly converted to vector format — a 98% file size reduction. Conversely, a product photograph that's 150KB as a WebP would become several megabytes if converted to vector format, making it impractical for web delivery where fast loading is essential.
Raster image / Vector image Best Practices
- → Choose raster formats (WebP, JPEG) for photographs, product images, and any camera-captured content.
- → Choose SVG for logos, icons, illustrations, and graphics with solid colors and geometric shapes.
- → Convert existing logo PNGs to WebP lossless rather than attempting SVG conversion without vector source files.
- → Test vector graphics at multiple sizes to ensure crisp rendering across all screen resolutions.
Example of Raster image / Vector image
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between raster and vector images?
Raster images are made of fixed pixel grids where each pixel has a specific color value, while vector images use mathematical formulas to describe shapes and paths. Raster images include all photographs and formats like JPEG, PNG, and WebP, whereas vector images like SVG can scale to any size without losing quality because they're based on geometry rather than pixels.
When should I use raster vs vector images?
Use raster formats for photographs, product images, and complex imagery with gradients or textures — anything captured by a camera should remain raster. Use vector formats like SVG for logos, icons, illustrations, and graphics with solid colors and simple shapes that need to scale across different screen sizes without quality loss.
Can you convert a JPEG photo to vector format?
Converting a JPEG photograph to true vector format is impractical because it would require thousands of individual shapes to recreate the continuous color variations in photographic content. While auto-trace tools exist, they produce enormous file sizes and poor quality results, making raster formats like WebP the correct choice for photographic images.