The Next Big Picture
Scalable Vector Graphics for the Web
By Lisa Rein
Finally, a vector graphics standard for the Web is beginning to take shape. The Scalable Vector Graphics Working Group has recently formed at the World Wide Web Consortium (
W3C) to work with tool vendors and developers, sifting through submissions from Microsoft, Adobe, and others. The goal is to produce a vendor-neutral vector-based markup language for Web graphics.
A vector graphics format stores a graphical image as a description of its lines, curves, shapes, and colors. In contrast, a bitmap format stores the image as a sequence of individual pixels. GIF and JPEG are examples of bitmap formats.
There are many advantages to having a vector-based alternative for representing graphics. A vector graphics format is compact and lightweight, which can improve the performance of graphically intensive Web applications. A vector graphics format also scales very well -- the same image can be rendered at a variety of resolutions, optimized for specific display devices. (Ever notice how poorly most GIFs look when printed? That's because a GIF doesn't scale to the printer's higher resolution. A bitmap is device-dependent.) A vector-based image is also more flexible, permitting individual elements of an image to be accessed and controlled or changed. This can provide benefits when integrating graphics with style sheets or scripting languages.
What Will Influence the Standard?
Several specifications have already been submitted to the W3C for consideration.
