Portable Network Graphics, a raster-graphics file format that supports lossless data compression (ie without losing any data through compression). PNG is known for its capabilities in handling transparency through its support for an alpha channel, allowing images to have transparent or semi-transparent elements. The format also supports a wide range of color depths, including 24-bit RGB and 32-bit RGBA, enabling a broad color palette and semi-transparency. PNG is commonly utilized in web images, particularly for logos and graphical elements that require a transparent background, and is also favored in image editing and graphic design for its lossless compression and high-quality image preservation. While offering several advantages, PNG does have limitations, including potentially larger file sizes compared to lossy formats and a lack of support for animation in its standard form.
