Graphic file formats

JPEG/JPG-JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is an image file format that is supported on the web. JPEG is a lossy compression format, which means the images wont lose quality when compressed due to the JPG being designed to compress large, colourful images, Such as ones you may find on Google image.

GIF-GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) is also another graphic formats, which is supported by the web and is a Lossy compression technique similar to file formats such as JPGs. GIFs are better used with images that have only a few distinct colours such as black and white images and line drawings. GIFS can also be put together for animated images.

PNG-PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a raster file format meaning it is used for images made up of pixels. PNGs also support lossless data compression.

TIFF-TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) File formats support all of Photoshops features along with the standard Photoshop file format (PSD) and supports lossless compression which allows for the highest possible image quality.

PSD-PSD (Photoshop Document) is the standard file format for Photoshop, which supports all of Photoshops features, and there is no loss in image quality when a file is re-opened and re-saved numerous times.  

AI-AI (Adobe Illustrator Artwork) file formats are specifically used for Adobe Illustrator and support Vector images  

WMF-WMF  (Microsoft Windows Metafile) is used to store Vector and bitmaps in memory and disk files and is specifically used with Microsoft Windows although some non-window applications can support this format.

BMP (Bitmap)-Bitmap images (also known as raster images) are made up of pixels to form an image, Bitmaps are resolution dependent which means they will lose quality if the resolution is higher that it should be also that if the image is resized then the image will lose its quality. A programme that does use Raster graphics is photoshop.

Vectors-Vector graphics are not made up of pixels but rather made up geometrical formulas such as shapes and lines this means that Vector graphics can be resized and scaled without losing the quality of the image. A programme that uses vector graphics is Adobe illustrator.