PNG is a raster graphics format. The name PNG is an abbreviation for Portable Network Graphics.

This format was created as an alternative to the GIF format, which also allowed to compress files without a loss (lossless). However, unlike GIF, PNG was free and had no licensing restrictions. In addition, PNG allows you to use many more colors in the image, as well as create images with a transparent background, which is very important for logos and other elements of web graphics. The only thing that PNG did not inherit from its predecessor is the ability to create animations – files containing several images.

Since its inception, the format has come a long way and has occupied a significant niche among graphics formats. However, at the same time, PNG files can be very heavy, which is why it is sometimes preferable to convert them to JPG format for more optimal use.