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PNG, which stands for Portable Network Graphics, is a raster-graphics file format known for its lossless data compression and support for transparent backgrounds. Developed in 1995 as a patent-free alternative to the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), it is widely used on the web.

Key characteristics of PNG

Lossless compression: Unlike the lossy compression of JPEGs, PNGs do not discard any image data when compressed. This maintains high quality, especially for images with sharp lines, text, or solid blocks of color, such as logos, graphics, and charts.

Transparency: PNG files support a full "alpha channel," which allows for a variable level of transparency (from fully opaque to fully transparent) for each pixel. This is a major advantage over GIFs, which only support full transparency, and JPEGs, which do not support transparency at all.

Broad color depth: PNG files can handle millions of colors (true color), while the older GIF format is limited to just 256 colors.

Web optimization: The format was created specifically for transferring images over the internet. It includes a progressive display option (interlacing) that displays a lower-resolution version of an image first, then gradually improves the detail as it downloads.

No animation support: The standard PNG format is designed for single, static images. Animated PNG (APNG) is an extension that adds animation functionality, and it is now supported by all major browsers.