PNG vs. JPG
What Is the Difference Between PNG and JPG?
PNG and JPG are both raster formats, grids of pixels, and they differ in how they compress those pixels. PNG compresses without losing anything and supports transparent backgrounds. JPG uses lossy compression, which throws away detail the eye is unlikely to miss, so photos come out much smaller. JPG also has no transparency.
That makes JPG the format for photos and PNG the format for logos, text, and flat graphics. CE.SDK exports both, as covered in export formats, and vector vs. raster explains what the two have in common.
PNG vs. JPG: How Do They Compare?
Compression decides most of the differences, from file size to how text and edges hold up.
| PNG | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| Smaller file for | Flat colors and sharp edges | Photos |
| Text and fine lines | Stay crisp | Blur and blotch at the edges |
| Saving again | No change | Loses a little each time |
When Should You Use PNG or JPG?
Use JPG for photos and PNG for anything with sharp edges, text, or a transparent background.
Use PNG for
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Logos and icons
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Text, charts, and screenshots
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Graphics on transparent backgrounds
Use JPG for
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Photos
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Photo-heavy pages and posts
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Images where file size matters most
Is PNG or JPG Better for Print?
For a printing press, neither is the usual choice: print shops want a PDF. For simpler photo printing, a high-quality JPG works well.
PDF for press jobs
Print shops want PDF, which keeps vectors, fonts, and color profiles intact, ideally as PDF/X, the version built for press.
JPG for photo prints
A high-quality JPG holds a photo well in print and keeps the file small enough to upload and handle easily.
PNG only on screen
PNG can’t store CMYK color at all, since it was built for the web, so it suits screens far better than presses.
How to Export PNG and JPG in CE.SDK
Pick the format
Choose PNG when a design needs a transparent background, since a JPEG export fills transparent areas with a solid background. WebP is a third option, covered in the FAQ below.
Set the quality or compression
JPEG quality runs from 0 to 1 and defaults to 0.9, trading detail for file size. PNG compression runs from 0 to 9 and defaults to 5, and a higher level only makes the file smaller and slower to write, never lower in quality.
Export at the size you need
Image exports take their pixel size from the page and the scene’s DPI unless you set a width and height directly. For a print shop, send a PDF instead; on the web and server, the Print Ready PDF plugin can make it PDF/X.
PNG and JPG in Product Photos and Stickers
Product photos for a shop
An online store exports its product photos as JPEGs to keep pages quick to load, and does its editing on lossless copies, exporting a JPEG only at the end.
Stickers with clear backgrounds
A sticker maker exports each design as a PNG, so the shape sits on any background in chat apps and on websites without a white box around it.
FAQs
Yes. JPG and JPEG are two file extensions for the same format, and there is no difference in the image itself.
For screens, it can replace both. WebP was made for the web and offers lossy and lossless compression with transparency, so one format covers photos and graphics. CE.SDK exports WebP, and its lossless mode usually makes smaller files than PNG. For print, send a PDF as with the other two.
Save your working copy in a lossless format such as PNG and export a JPG only at the end. Each time a JPG is opened and saved again, it is compressed again and loses a little more detail.
Links
Documentation and references for this concept.
Related Terms
Vector vs. Raster
The two ways digital artwork is built. Vectors are paths described by math and scale without losing sharpness, while ras…
Export
The process of rendering one or more pages of a CE.SDK scene to a distribution-ready file, supporting PNG, JPEG, TGA (ra…
PDF/X
An ISO-standardized subset of PDF designed for reliable, predictable reproduction in professional print production, enfo…
Print Resolution
How many pixels of an image land in each inch of paper once it prints, usually requested as 300 DPI. CE.SDK's scene DPI …