WebP is an image format developed by Google that provides both lossy and lossless compression for web images. Lossy WebP images are 25-34% smaller than comparable JPEG images at equivalent visual quality. Lossless WebP images are 26% smaller than PNG. WebP also supports transparency (like PNG) and animation (like GIF), making it a versatile replacement for multiple legacy formats. All modern browsers support WebP: Chrome (since 2014), Firefox (since 2019), Safari (since 2020), and Edge. The only holdout is very old browser versions. For web development, WebP is now the recommended default format for most images, with PNG or JPEG fallbacks for legacy compatibility via the HTML <picture> element.
glossary2 min read
What is WebP?
WebP is a modern image format by Google offering superior compression. Learn when and how to use WebP images.
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