What is PNG? Full form of PNG

What is Portable Network Graphics?

Portable Network Graphics or PNG was developed as an open system to replace GIF as one corporation owned the patent for GIF and no one else was ready to pay the license fees. Higher compression and a full variety of colours are also enabled in the PNG.

Portable network graphics (PNG) is a raster image format utilised by websites and Web applications. It is an open, bitmapped, graphical file format based on the principle of lossless data compression. As a substitute for graphics interchange format, it was established and conceived by the World Wide Web Consortium.

PNG is patent and license-free in its entirety, including its data compression method. It adds alpha channels, gamma correction, and a two-dimensional interlacing feature to GIF and JPEG image formats. Its capabilities allow for better image enhancement and modification than its predecessors. A PNG image that supports alpha channels, for instance, can have its background altered without affecting the rest of its appearance. It supports up to 48-bit true colour and 16-bit grayscale pictures, and resaving or formatting does not degrade the image quality.

Features of PNG Format

The PNG format supports the following features:

• Not only can you make a colour transparent, but you can also adjust the level of transparency (this is also called "opacity").
• Image interlacing is supported and image development is faster than using the GIF format.
• Gamma correction enables the image to be "tuned" to meet the colour brightness requirements of specific display makers.
• In addition to true colour and the palette and grayscale formats offered by the GIF, images can also be saved in their original colour format.
• PNG does not support animation since it cannot contain multiple pictures, unlike GIF. However, the PNG is described as "extensible." It will be possible for software developers to create variants of PNG that can contain numerous scriptable images.

Advantages of PNG Format

• Transmission is independent of the programme and hardware platform.
• It is possible to communicate with truecolor, indexed-color, and grayscale images.
• Efficiency: any dynamic image introduction, compression, and sifting appears to be conducive to productive translation and display.
• Images are capable of being compressed successfully and reliably.
• The execution of the standard is straightforward.
• Interchangeability: any PNG decoder that adheres to the specifications can read all PNG data streams.

Disadvantages of PNG Format

• Not ideal for large images, as they tend to generate extremely large file sizes.
• Occasionally creates more extensive files than JPEG.
• Not capable of animation.
• Not every web browser supports PNG.