PJHTech Images

What is an SVG file?

SVG describes graphics with shapes, paths and text. Those parts can scale without the fixed pixel grid of a raster image. An SVG can also contain raster images, so not every part is automatically resolution-independent.

Vector and raster scaling

Vector circle and triangle rendered at the display size.
Vector artwork
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Similar shapes from a 32-pixel raster enlarged with nearest-neighbor sampling.
32 × 32 raster enlarged
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The vector keeps smooth edges when enlarged. The 32 × 32 raster shows square steps with nearest-neighbor enlargement; other resizing methods can soften those steps.

Settings and measurements
FileDimensionsBytesExport settings
vector-shape.svg256 × 256302Default
raster-shape-enlarged.png256 × 256847Optimize: True

Python 3.14.4, Pillow 13.0.0, Platform Linux, Webp 1.6.0, Jpeg 6.2, Avif 1.4.2

Use it for the right artwork

Start with SVG for a simple logo, icon or diagram that was drawn as vectors. Changing a photograph's extension to .svg does not turn the photo into vector artwork.

Before sharing

Check the design in the app that will use it. Text can depend on fonts, and linked resources can be missing. Include the required fonts and images, or convert text to paths when appropriate.

SVG can contain active features. This site does not open user-supplied SVG files in its image information tool.

Related guides

Sources