| Extension | .apng |
| Category | images |
| Description | APNG stands for Animated Portable Network Graphics, which is a file format for animated images, similar to animated GIFs, but with better support for transparency and alpha channel. APNG is a raster graphics file format that supports both static and animated images. |
| Technical details | APNG is based on the PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format, which utilizes lossless data compression to store images. Similar to PNG, APNG follows the same file structure and chunk-based format. APNG files consist of a series of PNG frames with the option for a delay between each frame to create animations. Each frame can have its own color palette as well. One key advantage of APNG over animated GIFs is its support for 24-bit images and full alpha channel transparency, resulting in superior image quality and smoother transitions. Additionally, APNG allows for animations to loop, pause and resume playback, and control the animation speed. APNG files can be created using various image editing software, like Adobe Photoshop and GIMP, that support the APNG format. They can be accessed and viewed in web browsers that support the format, such as Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome, or using specialized image viewers and editors. |
