JFIF and SVG are legacy formats that have changed how files/images are created, stored, and shared on various platforms. Yet, choosing between JFIF vs. SVG can only be easy with knowledge of both formats' technical features and application areas.
The article covers the built-in features of SVG vs. JFIF, including compression techniques, animation support, image quality, file sizes, web performance, browser support, structure, storage requirements, and support for transparent backgrounds.
When is SVG better than JFIF?
SVG images are transparent and support animations, with universal web browser support and compatibility, while JFIF images do not support transparency or animations and have limited web browser support.
SVG file type is ideal for developing icons for apps and websites with simple shapes and colors. The benefits of SVG files include: They can be scaled up or down to create responsive website designs, use editable mathematical formulas, support interactivity, and enjoy broader browser support than JFIF.
When is JFIF better than SVG?
JFIF images are smaller, highly web-efficient, and require less memory space on storage devices, while SVG images are detailed, larger, consume more bytes, and demand more storage space.
JFIF file type minimizes error risks and discrepancies when interchanging file information or image data across various transfer mediums such as systems, computer devices, or platforms. The advantages of JFIF files include extra image data, more color spaces, and standardized structure and markers.
JFIF versus SVG Table Comparison
| Aspect/Factor | SVG | JFIF |
| Transparency | Supports transparency. | Does not support transparency. |
| File Size | Larger files compared to JFIF files | Smaller files than SVG files |
| Image Quality | High-quality images. | High-quality images. |
| Performance | Increased image loading times than JFIF. | Decreased image loading times than SVG. |
| Structure | Vector graphic: Has XML markup language and XML code that states texts, colors, paths, and shapes. | Raster graphic: Has JFIF marker data characters and a JFIF-compliant file. |
| Animation | Supports animation | Does not support animation |
| Storage | Requires more storage space than JFIF. | Requires less storage space than SVG. |
| Compression | Uses lossless compression | Uses PackBits/ZIP, lossless, and lossy compression. |
| Browser Support | Supported by nearly all web browsers | Limited web browser support than SVG. |
Differences and similarities between SVG and JFIF images
According to the SVG versus JFIF comparison table, both formats can support lossless compression (though this is more typical for SVG than JFIF). Still, they differ in key aspects, including storage needs, image quality, file size, web browser support, structure, lossy and PackBits compression, web performance, animation, and transparency support.
Image Quality
JFIF and SVG are high-quality image formats. SVG is not bitmapped, while JFIF supports 24-bit images. JFIF further supports CMYK, RGB, and grayscale, all incorporated in prepress, among other color profiles. However, while both formats support high-quality images, lossy compression degrades JFIF image quality.
Lossy JFIF compression with discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients and Huffman coding and run length encoding (RLE) algorithms result in compression artifacts and lower image quality by deleting unnecessary file data.
Transparency
SVG files support transparency, whereas JFIF does not. However, JFIF files are transparent, but the JPEG coding depends on the algorithms used to create the files and the software required to read the file elements and structures. Conversely, SVG uses a lossless technique that supports different transparency levels.
The SVG files include the 'Default' transparent background with features having specific functions. The format relies on HML, which integrally supports transparent backgrounds, allowing graphic designers and website developers to create transparent images simply embedded over other web elements.
Performance
JFIF files support a rather efficient lossless, PackBits/ZIP and lossy compression method compared to lossless SVG. As such, JFIF files are significantly compressed into smaller and highly web-responsive files than SVG files.
JFIFs load faster online, consume fewer bytes, increase online user experience and optimize search engines compared to the larger and less web-responsive SVG files. As a result, users should choose JFIF over SVG for better website performance.
File Size
JFIF files are smaller than SVG files. While SVG files have no definite file size limits, they are complex and larger than JFIF files with standardized structure and can hold up to 4GB because of the extra markers. Nonetheless, file size is not limited to image content but the compression technique adopted.
JFIF files support efficient lossy compression with Discrete Transform Cosine Coefficients, Huffman Coding, and Run Length Encoding algorithms, which minimize file sizes more than the inefficient gzip algorithms SVG uses. JFIF’s ZIP/PackBits and lossless SVG reserve all image details, resulting in larger files.
Structure
JFIF is a raster-based format, whereas SVG is a vector graphic format. Each format has a specific structural design, igniting the need to compare the two image formats. A JFIF file ha an APP0 marker, the SOI with marker code values FFh E0h, and JFIF elements in the marker data.
The JFIF marker section has supplementary but non-compulsory JFIF extension marker segments, and the actual image information. Each JFIF marker has the FF and a marker-specific byte type. JFIF has separate markers signifying the start of every marker’s subdivision.
The SVG files store images using mathematical formulas, which outline and support images on grid points, lines, curves, and shapes. The format uses the XML markup language with XML code to define and specify vector-based graphics like texts, shapes, colors, and paths and saves and transmits digital information.
The XML code can be fixed directly into HTML documents or XML texts or embedded and stored inside the SVG file. Scripting languages, including CSS and JavaScript, interactively manipulate and animate all features and elements in the SVG file.
Animation
SVG file extensions support lively content and animations, whereas JFIF files do not. JFIF files lack or hardly support multiple frames and pixels necessary for creating short animations. Conversely, SVG files inherently have markup features, which enable animations and lively content to be displayed on websites.
SVG files use CSS and JavaScript to create and manipulate their images by tuning specific codes without creating additional image files. The ability to readily amend the appearance of SVG files makes it possible to create interactive and lively web content or animations. Users should choose SVG over JFIF for animations.
Storage
JFIF files store data streams or bitmap data compressed using JPEG algorithms and uncompressed raster thumbnail image information. JFIF’s lossy and PackBits/ZIP compression method is more efficient than lossless SVG, making its files smaller with less storage space demands.
The compressed JFIF and SVG files can be stored indefinitely depending on the storage conditions, storage medium used, and handling process. Both formats use identical storage mediums such as Hard Drives, XML text files, HTML documents, Content Delivery Networks, Cloud, and Base64 Encoding.
Compression
The SVG file extension supports lossless compression, whereas JFIF supports lossy, lossless, and PackBits/ZIP compression. JFIF’s lossy compression method uses JPEG algorithms, leading to compression artifacts, as some image details are lost. This results in rather smaller files than SVG files.
JFIF uses Discrete Cosine Transform Coefficients and Huffman coding to reorder and reduce file sizes by deleting redundant image data. However, the format uses the block compression method, which allows users to control the quantity of data lost and the final image size.
JFIF’s lossless or PackBits/Zip and lossless SVG images reserve all file details and data, resulting in higher-quality images. Thus, choose JFIF over SVG for compression efficiency to get smaller files.
Browser Support
SVG is the most up-to-date image format compared to the JFIF file type. SVG enjoys broader web browser support than JFIF. SVG files are compatible and supported by nearly all web browsers, including Samsung Internet, Opera, Brave, Chrome, Discord, Vivaldi, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, except Internet Explorer 8.
In contrast, JFIF images are widely supported by Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, and Samsung Internet but unsupported by Brave, Vivaldi, and Discord. Nevertheless, the last batch of incompatible browsers need additional plug-ins or extensions to be installed to support JFIF files or images.
Convert SVG to JFIF or JFIF to SVG
Convert SVG to JFIF easily using Convertjack. JFIF files are smaller, high-quality, and supported by most applications, platforms, and systems. They enable users to embed image information, including time taken and camera settings.
Convertjack is the most ideal JFIF to SVG converter. SVG images allow upward or downward scaling without losing resolution and quality levels, can be easily manipulated, and, unlike raster graphic JFIF files, support animations or lively content and transparency.