We explain what a portable networks graphic (PNG) is, plus how to edit and convert this type of file
A PNG file (portable networks graphic) is a type of image file commonly used for internet graphics thanks to its ability to use compression without losing image quality.
PNG supports the 24-bit RGB and 32-bit RGBA colour space, and grey scale but as this type of file isn't designed to be used for professional quality printing, but for transferring images over the tnternet, they don't support alternative colour spaces such as CMYK.
They are similar to a GIF (graphics interchange format), but don’t have the same copyright limitations as this format. PNGs were originally developed to replace GIFs and overcome some of the limitations, especially those related to colour support and patent licenses.
One other major benefit of PNGs are that they can display both transparent and opaque elements, making them much more flexible than GIFs. However, they can’t be animated like GIFs, although MNGs (Multiple image Network Graphics) can be.
History of PNG
The PNG format was developed in 1995 when Unisys patented the GIF file format. Other reasons a new standard was needed included that screen technology was moving on, with displays able to show a much wider spectrum of colours while GIFs were limited to displaying only 256 at a time.
A group of developers then joined forces to create the PNG format and it was decided the new image file should only support a single, static picture. In October 1996, the first iteration of the file format was created, with further versions released in 1998, 1999 and 2003, when it became an international standard.
When to use a PNG
PNG files can sometimes be larger than a GIF and so it’s worth considering whether the file format is definitely the best option for the use case. For example, if you have lots of images on one web page, you might want to consider either resizing the image so it’s lower quality, or using an alternative image format that results in a smaller file size (for example GIF).
This conversion may result in stripping away the transparency if it’s opaque and transparent. If you need to preserve the transparency, PNG is definitely the best option ad worth using, even if it’s a large file.
How to open and edit a PNG file
PNG files can be opened in any web browser, including Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari and Opera, as it’s now the most widely adopted web image type. If you don’t have an image viewer on your computer, you can even open it by dragging it from your desktop to your browser, although you won’t be able to edit it this way.
A PNG file can also be opened and edited in the majority of image editing programs, including Microsoft Paint (despite Microsoft ending support for the bundled image editing program in the very near future), Paint 3D, GIMP, XnView and of course, Adobe PhotoShop.
If you’re not sure if you already have an image editor installed on your computer, try double clicking the image file and any supported program will open it up for you ready to edit.
How to convert a PNG file
You can of course convert a PNG file to any other popular format, including JPG, ICO, TIF, BMP and GIF if you wish. This can be done by a whole range of free online converters, including XnConvert, Zamzar, FileZigZag and Adapter.
Source: IT Pro
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