Please ditch using JPEG, PNG, GIF format images!

With the development of the internet, images, as the most intuitive way to present content, have gradually occupied more and more space in systems. However, this has also led to a significant decline in system performance. Traditional formats like JPEG, PNG, and GIF each have their own advantages and drawbacks, creating a need for a "universal" image format. Thus, WebP was born.

Demand

The emergence of the WebP format primarily stems from the need for "efficient network image transmission" and the "limitations of existing image formats in certain aspects."

Modern internet websites require the loading of "large quantities of high-quality images," and the popularity of smartphones and tablets has driven the rapid growth of "mobile internet." On mobile devices, users have limited data plans. Therefore, reducing image file sizes without compromising quality has become an important challenge.

Traditional image formats like JPEG, PNG, and GIF each have their strengths but also come with shortcomings.

For example, JPEG is well-suited for photographs but only supports lossy compression and lacks transparency support. PNG supports transparency but often results in larger file sizes. GIF supports animation but has a limited color range and relatively large file sizes.

Emergence

WebP is an image file format developed by Google, designed to provide more efficient image compression for network transmission and display.

1. "High Compression Efficiency": WebP employs advanced compression algorithms, offering higher compression rates than JPEG without significant loss of image quality. This means WebP can significantly reduce file sizes without sacrificing visual experience, thereby speeding up webpage loading times.
2. "Transparency Support": Unlike JPEG, WebP supports alpha channels (i.e., transparency), making it a strong alternative to PNG in scenarios requiring transparent backgrounds while achieving this with smaller file sizes.
3. "Animation Support": In addition to static images, WebP also supports animation as a more effective alternative to GIFs. Compared to GIFs, WebP can provide higher quality animation effects and more color support in a smaller file size.
4. "Animation Support": In addition to static images, WebP also supports animation, serving as a more efficient alternative to GIF. Compared to GIF, WebP can deliver higher-quality animations with broader color support at smaller file sizes.

"Wide Compatibility": Although initially introduced by Google, WebP has gradually gained support from major browsers and platforms, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and various operating systems and image-processing software.