AVIF and JFIF are versatile image formats that have transformed the digital world of creating, storing, and sharing images on different platforms. However, choosing between the smaller, high-quality AVIF vs. JFIF, an image interchange format, is tricky and requires understanding both formats.
The article comprehensively covers the technical features of JFIF vs. AVIF, such as web browser support, storage demands, image quality, structure, online performance, file size, compression methods, animation, and transparency support.
When is AVIF better than JFIF?
AVIF images are compressed up to 50% smaller than other formats, such as JPEG, using AV1 algorithms in their compression, while JFIF images are lossless or comprise zipped files with extra structures and file data, resulting in larger files with increased online loading times.
AVIF files support more color depths, including HDR, ICC profiles, Grayscale, and WCR. This results in excellent, high-quality images with better web responsiveness and enhanced user experience, making them ideal for creating logos, specialized apps, and live photos.
When is JFIF better than AVIF?
JFIF images are highly structured and support markers with extra image data, allowing them to display data precisely on different platforms with varied software and hardware configurations, while AVIF images are comparatively simple but use the radical encoding method, which prolongs the coding time.
JFIF file extension is thus suitable for reducing discrepancies or error risks when exchanging image data between different devices, systems, or platforms.
JFIF versus AVIF Table Comparison
| Aspect/Factor | JFIF | AVIF |
| Transparency | Does not support transparency | Supports alpha channel transparency |
| File Size | Larger files compared to AVIF files. | Smaller files compared to JFIF files. |
| Image Quality | Low-quality images than AVIF. | High-quality images than JFIF. |
| Performance | Load slower on websites compared to AVIF. | Loads faster on websites compared to JFIF. |
| Structure | Raster graphic with a JFIF-compliant file and JFIF marker data characters. | Raster graphics with nested boxes like File Type Box, container, actual image data, and metadata. |
| Animation | It does not support animation | Supports animations or lively content |
| Storage | It is larger and demands more storage space than AVIF | It is smaller and requires less storage space than JFIF. |
| Compression | Supports lossless, lossy, and PackBits/ZIP | Support lossless and lossy compression. |
| Browser Support | Limited web browser support compared to AVIF. | Broader web browser support compared to JFIF. |
Differences and similarities between AVIF and JFIF images
Comparing AVIF versus JFIF is vital as both file types are identical in lossy and lossless compression but differ in browser support, transparency, structure, animation support, file size, image quality, and storage demands. See the table below for the technical differences and similarities between AVIF and JFIF.
Transparency
The AVIF file extension supports transparency via its alpha channels. This allows transparent information to be created, saved, and supported with lossless and lossy data. It enables data transparency at various image phases and supports precise opacity levels for the objects represented in the images.
The structure of a JFIF file does not inherently support transparency. JPEG coding relies on specific algorithms for encoding its files, and software is needed to read its file structure. Creating transparent images in a JFIF file extension requires sophisticated techniques since JPEG does not natively support transparency.
File Size
AVIF files are smaller than JFIF files. Both formats have a file size limit of 65,535 X 65,535 pixels. However, JFIF files can be four gigapixels, as they hold extra structures and markers compared to AVIF's data and metadata. Nonetheless, the file is not limited to image content but the compression method.
AVIF uses the most outstanding AV1 compression algorithms, efficiently minimizing files compared to the less effective JFIF compression method using DCT, RLE, and Huffman coding algorithms. Moreover, JFIF ZIP/PackBits compression preserves all image details, making the file size larger than the AVIF file.
Image Quality
JFIF is a high-quality format that supports 24-bit images, while AVIF supports 8-, 10-, and 12-bit color depths per channel. JFIF supports YCbCr and CMYK, among other color spaces, but AVIF has more color spaces, such as multiple color sub-sampling and non-standard and standard color spaces.
AVIF supports Pro Photo RGB, YUV 444, YUV 420, High Dynamic Range, Wide Color Range, sRGB, Rec 2020, and ICC profile. Thus, AVIF's support for WCR and HDR images with enhanced dark and bright tones results in an array of brightness, making it more detailed and high-quality than JFIF.
Regarding compression technique, AVIF uses a grander, more efficient AV1 video codec, which preserves nearly all image data, resulting in higher-quality images than JFIF. JFIF DCT, Huffman Coding, and RLE compression algorithms result in compression artifacts and lower image quality during lossy compression.
Performance
JFIF supports lossy, lossless, and PackBits/ZIP compression, which is less effective than the advanced AV1 video codec compression algorithms. As a result, AVIF files are significantly compressed, resulting in smaller and more web-responsive file sizes compared to JFIF files.
AVIF files load faster on websites, necessitate fewer bandwidth costs, or consume fewer bytes, increasing online user experience and optimizing search engines. In contrast, JFIF files download or upload slowly on almost all web pages. Thus, choose AVIF over JFIF for superior web performance.
Structure
JFIF and AVIF are both raster-based formats. Each format assumes a specific structural design, which ignites the urge to compare both formats. A JFIF-compliant file structure starts with a JFIF APP0 marker closely following the SOI with marker code values FFh E0h and JFIF characters in the marker data.
In contrast, the AVIF structure includes nested boxes that store image data and metadata. The top-lying box has a File Type Box that identifies and specifies the format version used. This box also has a media data box, an item location box, and an item properties box with various image data information and metadata.
The AVIF image metadata is kept serially compressed in frames using AV1 algorithms. All frames have individual storage boxes followed by the decoder configuration records offering the encoded variables information utilized in a particular frame.
Animation
JFIF does not support animations or lively content, whereas AVIF has inherent support for such features. JFIF file extension has individual image frames or pixels, making creating short animations challenging. Conversely, AVIF files support animation and live photos using their multilayer image storage structure.
AVIF is attuned to HIEF, a format with image series and elements that allow animations to be created. As a result, to create looped animated images, animations, or lively photos, choose AVIF instead of the JFIF file type.
Storage
AVIF stores encoded data using lossless and lossy compression techniques, while JFIF stores compressed JPEG-encoded bitmap data or data streams and uncompressed raster thumbnail data. The AVIF's image data and metadata are stored as compressed frames using AV1 codec encoding.
Since AVIF uses an advanced and efficient compression technique, its files are smaller, necessitate less storage space, and consume fewer bytes than JFIF files. The compressed files in both cases can last indefinitely, subject to storage conditions, handling process, and storage medium used.
AVIF and JFIF files can be stored in Base64 Encoding, Cloud, File Systems, Folders or Sub-Folders, Content Delivery Network, Floppy Drive, and Hard Drives.
Compression
JFIF primarily supports lossy compression using discrete cosine transform (DCT) and Huffman coding techniques. AVIF supports both lossy and lossless compression using the AV1 video codec. Lossy JFIF and lossy AVIF delete unnecessary data, resulting in relatively smaller files than the original files.
In contrast, the lossy AVIF compresses image data serially using the AV1 algorithm in a HEIF container format, resulting in smaller, higher-quality images. Lossless AVIF images preserve all file information, leading to higher-quality images.
Browser Support
AVIF is the most modern image format with broader web browser support than JFIF. For instance, AVIF is supported and compatible with Firefox, Vivaldi, Discord, Edge, Safari, Chrome, Opera, and Brave. Internet Explorer is incompatible with AVIF but supports JFIF files. Discord, Vivaldi, and Brave, which support AVIF files, hardly support JFIF files. However, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Safari, and Edge support JFIF, but Discord and Vivaldi require additional plug-ins.
Convert AVIF to JFIF or JFIF to AVIF
Convert AVIF to JFIF using the easily accessible online tool called Convertjack. JFIF file format is ideal in the digital world as it supports smaller, complex images or files without text and reserves exceptional image resolution and quality.
The most preferred online JFIF to AVIF converter is convertjack. The image format conversion tool ensures users get smaller, high-quality, and widely compatible AVIF files with better web responsiveness and minimum storage demands.