What Is an SVG File, and How Do I Open One?
World Wide Web Consortium
While browsing the web, you may have come across graphical files with an “SVG” extension. What is special about these files and how can you view them? We’ll explain.
What Is an SVG File?
In the context of computer graphics, SVG stands for “Scalable Vector Graphics.” An SVG file is a computer file that uses the SVG standard, defined by the World Wide Web Consortium, to display an image.
Typical image formats—such as JPG, PNG, and GIF—utilize raster graphics, which means that they display an image by storing a grid of pixels, called a bitmap. Each pixel’s color and location are stored in the file. If you scale a raster image larger than intended, the image becomes jagged and blurry.