JPEG, a compression algorithm optimized for photographic images, is something we encounter on a regular basis. JPEG is not limited to a certain amount of color (unlike GIF, for example) and is popular due to its variable compression range, meaning that you’re able to more easily control the amount of compression, and consequently, the resultant image quality. In this guide, we will discuss the important things you need to know about JPEG.
Quick Overview of JPEG
Here is a list of things you should know about JPEG:
- JPEG is a lossy compression algorithm; this means that it discards some data from an image to reduce its file size
- JPEG is often pronounced as "jay peg"
- JPEG is an acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the organization that developed the JPEG format
- .jpg and .jpeg are the most common file extensions of images compressed using JPEG compression algorithm; they are the same, but old DOS systems have a 3-character limit on file extensions — modern operating systems recognize both .jpg and .jpeg
- Other file formats that use the JPEG compression algorithm are .jpe, .jfif and .jif
Semantics and Disambiguation: JPEG vs. JFIF/Exif
Many people refer to any image format that uses the JPEG compression algorithm as a "JPEG file." However, most image-capturing devices (such as a digital camera) and image-editing programs actually create a file in the JFIF or Exif format. For all intents and purposes, when people say "JPEG file" or when a software application says they’re saving your work in JPEG, you can just think of it as a file that uses the JPEG algorithm, whether it’s really JFIF or Exif.
Why Use JPEG?
JPEG allows you to control the degree of "lossiness" by adjusting compression parameters. This way, you can achieve very small files with just the minimum amount of quality that you really need.
The second important advantage of JPEG is that it stores full color information: 24 bits per pixel (that means 16 million colors). GIF, another image format widely used on the web, can only store 8 bits per pixel (256 colors). This capacity for storing colors is why JPEG compression is great for displaying images that have rich colors and that are photographic in quality.
JPEG Compression
Opposite to the PNG format (which uses a lossless compression algorithm), JPEG uses a lossy compression method ………………
Read more: JPEG 101: A Crash Course Guide on JPEG
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