What file format is typically used for web graphics?

The file format commonly used for web graphics is PNG or JPEG due to their balance between image quality and file size, making them ideal for efficient web use. JPEG is particularly well-suited for photographs and images with many colors, as it compresses files to a smaller size while maintaining good visual quality. This compression allows images to load quickly, which is critical for web performance.

On the other hand, PNG is favored for graphics that require transparency, text, or sharp edges, like logos and icons. It uses lossless compression, ensuring that the image retains its original quality regardless of how many times it is saved. This characteristic is essential for images that may be edited repeatedly.

The other formats, such as TIFF, BMP, and PDF, serve different purposes. TIFF is often used for high-quality images in printing and is not optimized for the web, resulting in larger file sizes that can slow down web loading times. BMP, while also high quality, produces very large file sizes and is impractical for web usage. PDF is primarily used for documents and complex layouts, and though it can contain images, it is not designed specifically for web graphics. Hence, PNG and JPEG are the most effective choices for web graphics.