What is SVG?
- SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics
- SVG is used to define graphics for the Web
- SVG is a W3C recommendation
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML-based vector image format for two-dimensional graphics with support for interactivity and animation. The SVG specification is an open standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) since 1999.
SVG images and their behaviors are defined in XML text files. This means that they can be searched, indexed, scripted, and compressed. As XML files, SVG images can be created and edited with any text editor, as well as with drawing software.
All major modern web browsers—including Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari, and Microsoft Edge—have SVG rendering support.
The HTML <svg> Element
The HTML <svg> element (introduced in HTML5) is a container for SVG graphics.
SVG has several methods for drawing paths, boxes, circles, text, and graphic images.
Browser Support
The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the <svg> element.
| Element | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <svg> | 4.0 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 10.1 |
SVG Circle
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<svg width="100" height="100">
<circle cx="50" cy="50" r="40" stroke="green" stroke-width="4" fill="yellow" />
</svg>
</body>
</html>
Try it Yourself »SVG Rectangle
rgb(0,0,0)">
Example
<svg width="400" height="100">
<rect width="400" height="100" style="fill:rgb(0,0,255);stroke-width:10;stroke:rgb(0,0,0)" />
</svg>
SVG Rounded Rectangle
Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG.
Example
<svg width="400" height="180">
<rect x="50" y="20" rx="20" ry="20" width="150" height="150"
style="fill:red;stroke:black;stroke-width:5;opacity:0.5" />
</svg>
SVG Star
Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG.
Example
<svg width="300" height="200">
<polygon points="100,10 40,198 190,78 10,78 160,198"
style="fill:lime;stroke:purple;stroke-width:5;fill-rule:evenodd;" />
</svg>
SVG Logo
SVG Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG.
Example
<svg height="130" width="500">
<defs>
<linearGradient id="grad1" x1="0%" y1="0%" x2="100%" y2="0%">
<stop offset="0%" style="stop-color:rgb(255,255,0);stop-opacity:1" />
<stop offset="100%" style="stop-color:rgb(255,0,0);stop-opacity:1" />
</linearGradient>
</defs>
<ellipse cx="100" cy="70" rx="85" ry="55" fill="url(#grad1)" />
<text fill="#ffffff" font-size="45" font-family="Verdana" x="50" y="86">SVG</text>
Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG.
</svg>
Differences Between SVG and Canvas
SVG is a language for describing 2D graphics in XML.
Canvas draws 2D graphics, on the fly (with a JavaScript).
SVG is XML based, which means that every element is available within the SVG DOM. You can attach JavaScript event handlers for an element.
In SVG, each drawn shape is remembered as an object. If attributes of an SVG object are changed, the browser can automatically re-render the shape.
Canvas is rendered pixel by pixel. In canvas, once the graphic is drawn, it is forgotten by the browser. If its position should be changed, the entire scene needs to be redrawn, including any objects that might have been covered by the graphic.
Comparison of Canvas and SVG
The table below shows some important differences between Canvas and SVG:
| Canvas | SVG |
|---|---|
|
|
To learn more about SVG, please read our SVG Tutorial.