Everything you need to know about SVG files - What is an SVG file?

The SVG file format is a popular tool for displaying two-dimensional graphics, charts, and illustrations on websites. Additionally, as a vector file, SVG can be scaled up or down without losing resolution. In this article, let's explore what SVG files are , the main features of SVG images, their advantages and disadvantages, and how to open and create SVG files.

What is an SVG file?

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a web-friendly vector file format. Unlike pixel-based raster files like JPEG, vector files store images through mathematical formulas based on points and lines on a grid. This means that vector files like SVG can be significantly resized without losing quality, making them ideal for complex logos and online graphics.

It's not just their resizable size that makes SVGs incredibly popular with web designers. SVGs are written in XML code, meaning they store any textual information as text rather than shapes. This allows search engines like Google to read SVG graphics to find their keywords, which can potentially help a website improve its search ranking.

Advantages of SVG files

SVGs are made up of pixels, vector graphics, so they always maintain their resolution regardless of size. Users don't have to worry about SVG images losing quality in certain browsers or when resizing to display in different places.

Basic SVG files are typically smaller than raster images, constructed from many color pixels instead of using mathematical algorithms.

Because SVG files treat text as text (not design), screen readers can scan any words contained within an SVG image. This is very helpful for people who need help reading a website. Search engines can also read and index the text in SVG images.

How to open an SVG file

From Chrome and Edge to Safari and Firefox, all major browsers now allow you to open SVG files, whether you're using a Mac or Windows. Simply launch your browser and click on File. Then, open it to select the file you want to view, and it will be displayed in the browser.

Opening SVG images using your computer's built-in program is just as easy. Double-click the file name and you'll get a list of programs that can open it, or the file will automatically open in a compatible program.

How to create and edit SVG files

Follow these steps when using Adobe Photoshop:

1. After you've combined an image in Photoshop, click File > Export > Export As.
2. Click the Format dropdown menu and select SVG.
3. Select Export All and save the file.

Another helpful note is that Photoshop is a raster graphics editor, so users can create and edit SVG files in Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics editor.