What is a WEBP file, and how does it differ from a JPG?
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WebP aims to replace the most popular image formats.
WebP can, like JPG, use lossy image compression techniques: by discarding some information from the original image, the file size can be much smaller; the more information is discarded, the smaller the file gets.
Sometimes just slightly reducing the image quality makes a large difference on the file size, while to an untrained eye the image looks as good as the original.
Because JPG dates back from a long-gone era, there are now better compression algorithms that were developed, and computers are now fast enough use those algorithms.
WebP can also be used as a lossless format; typically replacing PNG. It can also do animation; typically replacing GIF.
One thing to note: conversion between lossy formats (from JPG to WebP, or from H.264 to H.265, or from MP3 to AAC) is seldom a good idea: there is loss added each time there is a conversion.
JPEG is an image file format created 30 years ago by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (hence JPEG) a committee made of members from multiple standards organizations. It (along with GIF and to a lesser extent PNG) is one of the most widely used image formats on the Web.
WebP is an image format created by Google about a decade ago. The goal was to replace other formats such as JPEG and PNG. It doesn’t appear to be making much headway.
WEBP is an image format developed by Google that is sneakily actually two image formats masquerading as one. There is lossless and lossy webp that use completely different compression formats but they are both given the .webp extension and you have to look into the file header to find the difference.
As for the implementation of each format they are basically improved versions of the dominant lossless and lossy image formats around, PNG and JPG respectively. The fundamental operation of each mode isn’t drastically different from its predecessor, just improved with lessons learned in the two decades since those formats were first designed.
It’s an image file format developed by Google. It is intended to replace existing formats including JPEG, PNG and GIF.
The format mainly has more features than JPEG: it supports both lossy and lossless compression (JPEG is always lossy) and it supports animation and transparency. It’s also an open source format, meaning anyone is free to use it and modify it as they wish.
Good technical answers in this thread. Can I request some opinions? Should we support a full transition to .webp? Should we pull out our pitchforks over Google’s bullshit?
I work in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
Converting JPEGs to WEBP helps reduce page load times, and page speed is a ranking factor for Google.
I’ve only really started switching a ton of images across to WEBP, but having read about it, Google favours/recommends images in WEBP format.
Their smaller file size mean they load faster.
In short, it’s time to get with the times, and as someone else said, JPEGs are from time long gone.
As the web continues to evolve, we all want to access information and content at a faster pace – when it comes to images, WEBP is the answer.
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