SVG and JPG explained
SVG is not a picture of an image — it is XML describing shapes, paths and text. Because it stores instructions rather than pixels, it renders perfectly at any size, from a favicon to a billboard.
JPEG is a lossy image format designed for photographs. It works by discarding detail the human eye is least likely to notice, particularly in colour and in smooth gradients, which is why it compresses photos far better than it compresses text or line art.
- Where SVG files come from
- Design tools like Figma and Illustrator, and icon libraries.
- Where JPG is used
- Digital cameras, phone screenshots on Android, and essentially every photo on the pre-2015 web.