To properly understand how image compression works, it is highly essential to have good knowledge about how it works and why it is important. For website developers and designers, image compression is very important. However, as a beginner, you will need to update your knowledge to have a clearer understanding of how image compression works. In my opinion, Bulkimageresizer is a great tool to effectively compress and resize your image in the best way. A process that involves data compression and recreation of the original image with fewer bits is basically termed image compression. This enables the image to be stored efficiently and takes up less space and memory.
Key Aspects of Image Compression
Image compression is a useful process that reduces the size of the image and optimises it for easier use. This brings down the storage cost. Moreover, algorithms utilize the art of visual perception to produce effective compressed images as compared to conventional methods of data compression. All websites make use of image compression when it is up and running. Because website navigation would be extremely difficult without image compression. Discussed below are some important aspects that are associated with compressing an image.
How Image Compression Works
Image compression algorithms use various approaches to deduct or reduce file size. However, the easiest approach is known as run-length encoding. This works through file analysis individually bit by bit and looks for patterns on each. Thus, the file size can be minimized in bytes without compromising the image quality below a certain standard. When the file size is reduced, it gives you the ability to store multiple images in a given space. A compressed image also takes less time to load over a webpage, requiring less bandwidth. This significantly speeds up content delivery.
Lossy and Lossless Image Compression
These are the two methods for compressing image files. Lossy image compression works by deducting information from the original file. This deduction is done in a way that the viewer does not notice it’s really gone. This gives an advantage of space saving. On the contrary, lossless image compression does not lose data. This results in the image file size being a lot bigger because it retains a lot of the original information. In my experience, bulkimageresizer has an effective bulk image compressor tool that guarantees effective image optimization. File formats that are lossless include EPS, PNG, TIF, and PSD. However, lossy file formats include JPG, and MP3.
PNG Format Compression
This format of image file offers good image compression and is ideal for photographic images, creative images, and logos. It has the quality of containing transparency and special features like 24 bits pixel support. Multiple frames are not supported by PNG file format. Due to the high quality of png images, these are quite large in size. Thus, it is essential to compress these to boost loading on the website. The extent to which you compress a png file depends on if you’re using lossy or lossless compression. You can also set the extent of the compression while saving in png format.
JPEG Format Compression
This type of compression is applied to each block of the image by using the cosine transform operation. This mathematical process is quite touchy and sophisticated. However, in easy words, data is removed along with some alteration in brightness. These changes are applied to the areas of the image that are least visible to the human eye. You can easily see the difference between the compressed and uncompressed images after making these alterations. Moreover, if you perform over compression on a JPEG image, the result is a blocky image with a lot of patchwork.
Gif Format Compression
This type of format is very well known for image compression. Developed in the late 1980s. The graphic interchange format uses the LZW algorithm to compress images. This is a lossless method of compression and it can easily retain the quality of the image. It restricts the output image to a max of 256 colors, because it is limited to 8 bits per pixel and it also contains transparency. The GIF format was a major development in the primitive days of the internet but its bandwidth and capabilities were constrained. However, with GIF compression it was possible to serve and access image content on the web.
Conclusion
These are some major points that users must know about image compression if they want to benefit from it. A proper understanding of image file compression can make sure your output is accurate as per your requirements. If you cut down the image resolution, the number of pixels automatically gets reduced. But when you compress a file, a distinct algorithm is applied. Thus, it’s crucial to use reliable image compression tools that guarantee successful use of images for multiple purposes.
