AVIF
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a modern, royalty-free image format based on the AV1 video codec, designed for high compression efficiency and superior image quality. It supports features like HDR, wide color gamut, transparency, and animation, making it suitable for web and mobile applications. Compared to formats like JPEG and PNG, AVIF typically offers significantly smaller file sizes at equivalent or better visual quality.
Developers should learn and use AVIF to optimize web performance by reducing image file sizes, which leads to faster page loads and improved user experience, especially on bandwidth-constrained networks. It is particularly valuable for high-resolution images, HDR content, and responsive web design where multiple image sizes are needed. Adoption is growing as browser support expands, making it a future-proof choice for modern web development.