Both the term PNG 24 and PNG 8 are image files and very high-quality graphic formats. They use lossless compression and considered as a replacement for GIF. Letting the users make a trade-off between the size of the file and the quality of the image after the compression of the image. They are considered better than GIF’S as they support the interlacing of images and develop faster as well. The best thing about PNG is that there is no loss in the quality of the image even after opening and saving the file again and again.
It also offers a really good pixel to pixel representation of the screen. We can use PNG for photos that have line art, drawing and illustrations. It can also be used for handwritten letters and newspaper articles. PNG is suitable for anything having text or page layouts that are made in photoshop then saved as images.
PNG 24 vs PNG 8
The main difference between PNG 24 and PNG 8 is that the former is considered best for providing very good transparency and clarity to the images whereas the latter is best for file format for saving screenshots from the internet and graphics creation as well.
PNG 24 is quite similar to PNG 8 but supports 16 million colors. The best part about PNG 24 is that it preserves the color variations, for example, better gradients and prevents banding as well. It provides a larger file as compared to others. Considered best for line arts, basic graphics etc. but it gives the file extra size which is not even necessary. In case you have very complex graphics and photos that require extra detail retentions then PNG 24 is the best choice you made.
PNG 8 stand for 8-bit which supports 256 color range scheme. It is similar to GIF and uses lossless method for compression. It is a palette variant which is usually smaller in size. It highly supports transparency and compresses those areas which are of solid colors. It helps the users to preserve sharp details of the image
Comparison Table Between PNG 24 and PNG 8
| Parameters of Comparison | PNG 24 | PNG 8 |
| Definition | A PNG file with 24-bit version which supports true colors and provides very good quality to the image because of this true colors schemes. | PNG file with 8-bit color depth which is not suitable for complex graphics as it leads to banding on the images. |
| Compression | lossless | lossy |
| Suitable for | Graphic images with color variations and wide range of colors | Images with less color data and image detailing |
| Supports | Index transparency. PNG-24 provides transparency of the index which provides an effect of illusion of smooth transparency alongside the curves of your graphics. | Alpha transparency. PNG-8 supports the transparency of alpha and background index. |
| Number of colours | 16 million | 256 |
What is PNG 24?
PNG 24 is a true color variant which supports transition from opaque to transparent effect. If you are working for web photos and detailed images then PNG 24 is the best choice. The user can obtain a larger file size in PNG 24 because of the amount of information that will be retained. The use of PNG 24 is recommended when you are working with an image including multiple levels of partial transparency.
These files are larger than JPEG files and supports multilevel of transparency. The user can obtain a larger file size in PNG 24 because of the amount of information that will be retained. The use of PNG 24 is recommended when you are working with an image including multiple levels of partial transparency.
PNG 24 uses index transparency in which you can apply matte color. This effect is so good as it gives an illusion of very smooth transparency along with the curves of the graphic.
What is PNG 8?
The 8-bit version of the PNG format in which each color for a particular pixel is represented with a string of 8 bits. It is capable of displaying around 256 colors. 8bit also allows images to get stored with a lesser number of bits like 2-bit as well as 4-bit. Those images which have low color variation, this format of PNG file is best suited for them.
PNG-8 is considered the best for small graphics, logos and line art. It is not suitable for complex graphic as it leads to banding on the images. PNG-8 supports transparency of alpha and background index.
Alpha Transparency
It provides multiple stages of transparency which further helps in providing a smoother blend along with the curves and edges. With this, you can have varying percentages of transparency in your graphics and other images. It provides you with 50% opacity on the whole image.
Main Difference Between PNG 24 and PNG 8
- PNG 24 has a lossless compression capability whereas. PNG 8 comes with lossy compression.
- PNG 8 supports a single-bit transparency channel and PNG 24 aims to support the transition from opaque transparency.
- The color support is maximum in PNG 24 as it can support 16 million colors whereas PNG 8 is capable of supporting 256 colors.
- PNG 8 works best for small graphics which does not require more color details and PNG 24 is best for web photos and detailed images.
- PNG 24 supports index transparency whereas PNG 8 supports alpha transparency
- Other advantages of using PNG are lossless compression, patent-free, better file size compression, gamma correction control and alpha channel transparency.
Conclusion
PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics which is a file format used for compressing images. It helps in storing web graphics, digital photos and pictures with transparent backgrounds. It is an image file and a very high-quality graphics format which uses lossless compression and is considered as a replacement for GIF.
It lets the users make a trade-off between the size of the file and the quality of the image after the compression of the image. It is considered better than GIF’S as it supports the interlacing of images and develops faster. The main advantage of PNG is that it supports transparency which enables the users to create images that are overlaid neatly along with the content of an image.
Out of the two PNG’s discussed that is PNG 24 and PNG 8, the former provides transparency and clarity whereas the latter is a very good file format for saving screenshots from the internet and graphics creation as well. The major differences suggest to the users that PNG 24 supports 16 million colors and will help to preserve the variations better as compared to PNG 8. You can settle for either of the PNG’s depending upon your needs.