What is the difference between a bitmap graphic and a vector graphic

Rather than a grid of pixels, a vector graphic consists of shapes, curves, lines, and text which together make a picture.

While a bitmap image contains information about the color of each pixel, a vector graphic contains instructions about where to place each of the components.

It is even possible to embed a bitmap graphic within a vector graphic, which is how vector-bitmap hybrid graphics work. It is not possible, however, to embed vector information within a bitmap.

For more information about SVG, see:. This is document afmr in the Knowledge Base. Last modified on But there are numerous other differences between vector and bitmap graphics. For starters, when you zoom in on a bitmap image you can begin to see the individual pixels that make up that image, most noticeably at the edges of the image. When a vector image is scaled up, the image is redrawn using the mathematical formula and the resulting image is just as smooth as the original.

In terms of file size , vector images tend to be smaller than bitmap images. Unfortunately, vector formats have not always been well supported on the web. Most vector images are first converted into bitmaps images rasterized before they are used on the web, although the SVG format is growing popularity due the rise in responsive web design.

In terms of colour , bitmap graphics are best for images that need to have a wide range of color gradations, such as photographs. Vector formats, on the other hand, are better for images that consist of only a few areas of solid color such as logos and type text.

This also means that vectors can't create realistic gradients, and although some vector softwares will allow it, they are actually using raster effects on the vector graphic. When To Use Vector Vector graphics are excellent for graphics that frequently require resizing. A company logo is a prime example of a file that should be created as a vector and saved as a master file so you can use it with smaller items such as your business card, letterhead and brochure , but also on larger surfaces, such as billboards or the corporate jet.

Vectors can also be used to create stylized modern graphics as their solid colours and sharp lines help them to appear crisper and with more visual impact that a bitmap image. Bitmap graphics are best used for photographs or other graphics with a wide range of colours such as a movie poster. They are also ideal for graphics with effects such as drop shadows as they use gradients. Bitmaps can also be used to create realistic graphics and images using image editing or "paint" softwares such as Photoshop or CorelDraw.

They are the most common type of graphic used and are supported on all digital systems. Bitmap Rater File Types. Vector v Bitmap - Web or Print? Which graphic format is suited for web or print or both? This questions is much more relevant to bitmap graphics due the fact that they can lose quality when scaled up. Units of measurement such as dpi dots per inch or ppi pixels per inch refer to the number of pixels in one inch of the image. As mentioned earlier, vector graphics have not always been well supported on the web and currently the most popular image file formats used on the web are bitmap formats such as.

When a vector image is scaled up, the image is redrawn using the mathematical formula, so the resulting image is just as smooth as the original. The Scalable Vector Graphics SVG format comes in a distant fourth due to a legacy of poor support for vector graphics in early browsers.

Bitmap formats are best for images that need to have a wide range of color gradations, such as most photographs. Vector formats, on the other hand, are better for images that consist of a few areas of solid color.

Examples of images that are well suited for the vector format include logos and type. Tech-Ease is your source for just-in-time answers for classroom technology questions. Funding for Tech-Ease content development has been provided by by various grants from the University of South Florida and the Florida Department of Education.

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