Glossary

Understand image formats, media codecs, compression, metadata, and the technical terms behind file conversion.

A

AVIFA next-gen image format based on the AV1 video codec. Tiny files, growing support.

B

BitrateHow much data per second a media file uses. Higher bitrate, higher quality, bigger file.

C

CodecThe algorithm that compresses and decompresses media — the “engine” behind a format.

H

HEICApple’s default photo format since iOS 11. Half the size of JPG at the same quality.HEIFThe broader container standard that HEIC is Apple’s implementation of.HEVCThe video codec behind HEIC. Efficient compression, but patent-encumbered.

L

LosslessCompression that preserves every pixel exactly. PNG is lossless.LossyCompression that discards detail you’re unlikely to notice. JPG is lossy.

M

Metadata (EXIF)Hidden info inside a photo: date, GPS location, camera settings.

R

RasterizeTurning vector graphics (like SVG) into a fixed grid of pixels (like PNG).

T

TranscodingConverting media from one encoding to another — what every converter does.

W

WebPGoogle’s web image format. Smaller than JPG and PNG, supported by all modern browsers.