What type of images should Designers/Developers use on web pages

Web developers/designers have different types of image formats that they can use on the web, but many times they got confused as which type of images to be used. In general there are three types of images that are best suited for the web pages:-

1. JPEG
2. GIF
3. PNG

All three of them have their own characteristics and they are as follows:

1. JPEG: 

• It supports 17 million colors 
• It uses lossy compression technique
• Size should be reduced without much impact on the quality of picture

2. GIF

• Supports 256 colors only
• Uses loss less compression technique
• Supports animation
• Low quality

3. PNG

• Easily load over the web
• Provides transparency
• Provides 8-bit and 24-bit channel which could reduce the size
• Uses loss less compression technique
• Good quality

It depends upon the developer/designer as to decide which of the type to use. This article will help them to decide when and where to use which type of images. Based on the below table, it becomes easier for the developer to decide when to use which type of images.

Type	JPEG	GIF	PNG
Logo
Photographic
Descriptive
Textual
Transparency
Animation
Colorful
Sharpness
Compression