The Purpose of SVG Files and the Benefits of Their Use for Developers
Last updated on November 28th, 2023 at 01:04 pm
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics ) files are a powerful way to show images and other information to web users in a way that they can understand. But there is one huge problem with this format: developers cannot change it. This means that you must use SVG files in your websites or applications, but it’s not as easy as it used to be. Why? Because SVG files are made up of lines and curves.
Quality scalability and responsiveness are crucial for delivering an exceptional user experience to your digital audience given the wide range of devices, screens, and display resolutions. While some photos could appear clear at first sight, when viewers start zooming in, they might start to question if they need to reach for their reading glasses to clear up the blurriness that is starting to appear. Read on if you aren’t utilizing Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs) already to circumvent this issue.
Let’s start with understanding What SVGs are, and how they benefit the developers?
What is SVG?
SVG, which stands for “Scalable Vector Graphics,” is a vector image format that uses XML. While JPEG, PNG, and WebP image types can all be used for similar purposes, SVG graphics are mostly seen online. However, they are fundamentally distinct from these image kinds.
Two-dimensional visuals including routes, lines, circles, patterns, text colors, etc. are described. In a more straightforward description, it refers to a picture format that supports two dimensions and whose entire existence and behavior are governed by an XML text file.
Free SVG icons may be scaled to any size without losing resolution, which is another intriguing feature. This is because SVGs don’t generate images using pixels as raster image formats do, but rather with shapes, numbers, and coordinates. Raster image formats render images by specifying what color each pixel should be painted.
Can you imagine if web developers had a special command for creating SVG files? If a developer could simply type in “SVG” into their terminal and have a cross-browser compatible SVG file created for them? How convenient would that be? Well, they can add “SVG” to the end of their command line. Let’s have a look at how SVG benefits the developers.
Advantages of using SVG:
1. Interactive
Because of the navigable DOM in JavaScript, we can interact with SVG elements. This enables us to create interactive elements in SVG using HTML and CSS in the same way.
The new Web Animations API also supports JavaScript, which enables us to create both straightforward and intricate interactions and animations. Additionally, we have access to several JavaScript libraries that were developed to expedite SVG workflows.
2. HTML Supports SVG Embedding
SVGs can be incorporated inside the HTML code, as opposed to other image kinds, which must be downloaded outside from the server. What makes this advantageous then?
It implies that they can be searched for and indexed, both of which are excellent for accessibility. CSS can also be used to change the SVG’s styling. The embedded SVGs will also be automatically cached if you are caching your HTML pages.
3. Independent of resolution and flexible
SVGs can be resized infinitely without becoming pixelated since they are a resolution-independent picture format. This enables you, as a developer, to provide each user with top-notch visual graphics independent of their device’s resolution level and screen size. Different pathways, forms, and text components can be combined to produce magnificent images that will be clear and crisp in all sizes.
Because they will never have enough data to occupy every available place when they are greatly scaled up, this is not available in any of the raster picture formats with fixed dimensions. To maintain the routes connected and the image sharp at any scale, SVG calculates the distances between the points to keep them always connected.
4. Reduced file sizes
Another important benefit is this. The layers, effects, masks, colors, and gradients used in vector images are the data that define the file size.
Bitmap-based pictures, in contrast, keep track of both the number of colors utilized and every single pixel in the image. A bitmap-based picture file will often cost more than an SVG counterpart; however, it’s a little more involved than that.
Additionally, by using gzip compression, you can reduce the size of your SVG files. It follows that if gzip compression is enabled, the server or CDN will need to send fewer bytes.
5. Simple to edit
It’s simple to edit an SVG by changing a word or a coordinate in a text editor, or by embedding the SVG code onto your website and making changes with JavaScript or CSS. Additionally, you can use well-known vector graphics editing programs like Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Sketch.
6. Great for SEO
Since SVGs are XML-based, it is possible to incorporate keywords, descriptions, and links, which makes the material more recognized by search engines and increases accessibility overall.
The “title” and “alt” attributes are the only ones you may use for SEO with bitmap-based photos.
SVG images, which are text-based, increase a website’s accessibility, which helps it rank highly in search results. Beyond that, users can reach your website using keywords in your SVG file thanks to the search engine’s ability to index SVG element text. Since there is no file to download and no need for an HTTP request, SVG loads much more quickly.
An increase in dots will improve the resolution of a raster image file (pixels). As a result, your website will load slower because the image size will increase. Utilizing SVG prevents this from happening. SVG file sizes (when optimized) are incredibly minimal when compared to other image file types since they are images made using a set of instructions and coordinates. This results in quicker page loads, improved page performance, and greater search engine rankings while also enhancing user experience.
7. An SVG animation
SVGs truly shine in this area. Since SVGs can be animated and modified directly in text editors, adding interactive elements to your website is simple. The complexity and simplicity of these animations are entirely up to you. SVGs can be interacted with using JavaScript as well as HTML because they are both represented by the DOM (document object model).
If you’re curious about animating SVGs, I covered this topic in another article along with instructions on how to use Airbnb’s well-liked Lottie animation framework to make your SVGs come to life.
Wrapping up:
A key component of modern web development is how graphics on a website respond to its diverse user base. Instead of producing several picture sizes, as is typically the case in our existing designs, the SVG image format is the ideal answer. This is so that clear and crisp graphics at any scale may be produced since browsers compute how the image should be rendered using a set of instructions. SVG pictures are used for less-detailed images like icons, logos, charts, infographics, etc., whereas bitmap images are still the best choice for highly detailed images like photographs. For making SVG pictures, I would suggest sticking with drawing applications like Illustrator or Sketch, as well as online icons and popular shape libraries.
