What are SVG files and what programs do they open

There are many formats for images, but they are all divided into two large classes - raster and vector. The first ones are mainly used for various complex and detailed graphics, for example, photos. Each pixel is the smallest element in them, it can have its own color, and in the file, in general, the colors for each point of the image are simply preserved. Of course, different methods are used to compress the size of the information, and from this comes a lot of raster formats - bmp, png, jpg and others. Usually the best performance is shown by jpg, as it turns out a small file with fairly good detail. But he has a drawback - the loss of information during the compression of information. Therefore, if you reduce the file size, the image deteriorates.

Work with SVG files.

Yes, and with the increase of such photos become visible pixels. Vector formats work on a completely different principle. They use lines, segments, figures, which are described by mathematical formulas. Any space that is limited by them can be filled with color or gradient. The result is an image that is not tied to specific sizes - it can be easily compressed or stretched to huge sizes without loss of quality. One of these vector formats is SVG. And it is becoming more popular, especially in a web development environment.

General description of the extension

SVG file type is an abbreviation for Scalable Vector Graphics, that is, scalable vector graphics. To describe the image using markup languages ​​VML and PGML. In essence, this is a text document in which the coordinates of vertices and lines passing through them, as well as the colors of different elements, are described for each shape. The first version of this format was released in 2001, and the second version is being actively developed. That is, it is promising and evolving. One of the advantages is the small file size, in which rather complex drawings can be saved. Therefore, now more and more icons, pictograms, logos and other elements of sites are used in this format, and not in raster ones. This speeds up site loading. The unique features of the SVG format include interactivity and animation. The first allows the picture to respond to user actions, for example, with a mouse click or moving some elements. Animation allows you to create quite complex scenarios. All together allows you to create very beautiful and lively graphic elements for sites. They can even be embedded in regular bitmaps in formats png, jpg and others.

How to open SVG file

On the Internet you can find many such pictures on photostocks, including free ones. They are created in graphic editors Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, and some others. But the question arises - how to open the SVG format. After all, the built-in Windows tools do not show what pictures they contain. Although it is possible to edit SVG even in a text editor, for example, in Notepad, because this is a text document, but for this you need to have considerable knowledge in markup languages. You can open an SVG file either in the program in which it was created or in some other graphic editor that supports this format. Most Popular:

  • Adobe Illustrator is a specialized graphics editor for working with vector images. Very powerful tool, one of the most popular. It allows you to create pictures from scratch, edit them in every way, and save them in various formats, including SVG.
  • Inkscape is a free editor that also works with vector graphics of any complexity and with files of many formats. It has very great features, including support for working with layers and channels, textures and many other things. In this program, it is convenient to create both simple icons and complex illustrations. There is an online version where you can edit SVG files without installing the program.

  • Vectr is an online service, but there is also an application that can be run on a computer. This is a simple editor with a nice interface that any beginner can easily understand. It helps a lot when a problem occurs, than to open an SVG file on a computer. Allows you to create simple drawings, such as logos, or edit finished ones.
  • Boxy SVG is another simple program for viewing svg-files. There is also an online version. There are simple editing and drawing tools.

Of course, these names are not limited to the list of programs for working with vector graphics. There are a lot of them, including the most popular Adobe Photoshop editor can save images as vectors and has a plugin for opening them. Do not forget about the popular vector graphics editor Corel Draw, which can be called the most popular.

What else can cause problems with the file?

The usual means of Windows, and many other operating systems, SVG files do not open. To see their contents and even less edit them, you need to install any image editor with support for this format.