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Filename extensions | .svg , .svgz |
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Internet media type | image/svg+xml [1][2] |
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI) | public.svg-image |
Developed by | W3C |
Initial release | 4 September 2001 |
Latest release | 1.1 (Second Edition) 16 August 2011 |
Type of format | Vector graphics |
Extended from | XML |
Standard | W3C SVG |
Open format? | Yes |
Website | www |
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML-based vector image format for defining two-dimensional graphics, having support for interactivity and animation. The SVG specification is an open standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.
SVG images are defined in a vector graphics format and stored in XML text files. SVG images can thus be scaled in size without loss of quality, and SVG files can be searched, indexed, scripted, and compressed. The XML text files can be created and edited with text editors or vector graphics editors, and are rendered by most web browsers.
Early adoption was limited due to lack of support in older versions of Internet Explorer. However, as of 2011, all major desktop browsers began to support SVG. Native browser support offers various advantages, such as not requiring plugins, allowing SVG to be mixed with other content, and improving rendering and scripting reliability. Mobile support for SVG exists in various forms, with different devices and browsers supporting SVG Tiny 1.1 or 1.2. SVG can be produced using vector graphics editors and rendered into raster formats. In web-based applications, Inline SVG allows embedding SVG content within HTML documents.
Despite its benefits, SVG can pose security risks if used for images, as it can host scripts or CSS, potentially leading to cross-site scripting attacks or other vulnerabilities.