SVG vs PNG Mobile

SVG and PNG represent different approaches to mobile graphics with distinct tradeoffs for design systems. SVG provides vector graphics that scale infinitely without quality loss. PNG provides raster graphics with broad compatibility but fixed resolutions. Mobile design systems must choose appropriate formats based on graphic type, platform support, and performance requirements.

What Is SVG vs PNG for Mobile

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) stores graphics as mathematical descriptions of paths and shapes. Images can scale to any size without pixelation because rendering calculates paths at the target resolution. SVG files are typically smaller than equivalent high-resolution PNGs and can be styled with CSS or manipulated with JavaScript.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) stores graphics as pixel grids with lossless compression. Image quality depends on source resolution. Displaying PNGs at sizes larger than their native resolution causes blurring. Supporting multiple screen densities requires multiple PNG versions (1x, 2x, 3x).

Mobile platforms handle these formats differently. Web views support SVG natively. iOS can use PDF vectors in asset catalogs. Android supports VectorDrawable (similar to SVG) and PNG. Format choice affects development workflow and application size.

How SVG and PNG Compare for Mobile

SVG advantages include infinite scalability, smaller file sizes for simple graphics, and single-file density support. One SVG file serves all screen densities correctly. Icons, logos, and geometric illustrations benefit from SVG.

Format Comparison:

SVG/Vector Advantages:
- Single file serves all densities
- Smaller file size for geometric graphics
- Can be styled dynamically (color changes)
- Scales perfectly at any size
- Animation support

PNG/Raster Advantages:
- Broad compatibility across all platforms
- Better for photographs and complex imagery
- Predictable rendering performance
- No path calculation overhead
- Simpler implementation

Recommended Use Cases:
- Icons: SVG/Vector (scale, color flexibility)
- Logos: SVG/Vector (scale, brand consistency)
- Photos: PNG/JPEG/WebP (complexity, detail)
- Illustrations: Depends on complexity
- UI Chrome: SVG/Vector (resolution independence)

PNG advantages include broad compatibility and suitability for complex imagery. Photographs cannot be represented as vectors. Complex illustrations with gradients, textures, or effects may render incorrectly or inefficiently as SVG.

Performance considerations differ between formats. SVG requires path calculation at render time, which impacts complex graphics with many paths. PNG requires no calculation but uses more memory for high-resolution images. Testing specific graphics on target devices reveals actual performance characteristics.

Key Considerations

• Platform vector format support varies (SVG, PDF, VectorDrawable)
• Complex SVGs may have performance issues
• PNG requires multiple resolution versions
• Hybrid approaches can use both formats appropriately
• Build pipelines can convert between formats
• Animation requirements favor SVG

Common Questions

How do design systems decide between SVG and PNG for specific graphics?

Graphic complexity guides the decision. Simple geometric shapes with solid colors suit SVG well. Complex imagery with many details, gradients, or photographic elements suits PNG.

Use case requirements matter. If the graphic needs to change color dynamically, SVG enables this. If the graphic has one permanent appearance, PNG works fine.

Platform constraints may dictate choices. If targeting platforms with limited vector support, PNG may be necessary despite SVG’s advantages.

Testing actual graphics reveals practical suitability. Some seemingly simple graphics render slowly as SVG due to path complexity. Some complex graphics compress efficiently as vector. Testing trumps assumptions.

How do mobile platforms handle SVG specifically?

Web views (WebView, WKWebView) support SVG natively. Hybrid mobile applications using web technologies can use SVG directly.

iOS does not support SVG directly in UIKit/SwiftUI. Asset catalogs use PDF for vector graphics. Build tools can convert SVG to PDF during compilation. Third-party libraries add SVG support.

Android supports VectorDrawable, an XML-based vector format. Android Studio can convert SVG to VectorDrawable. Some SVG features do not translate perfectly, requiring manual adjustment.

React Native and Flutter have varying SVG support through libraries. React Native SVG library provides good support. Flutter supports SVG through flutter_svg package.

How should design systems handle format distribution?

Source format and distribution format may differ. Design systems can store SVG sources while distributing platform-appropriate formats (PDF for iOS, VectorDrawable for Android, SVG for web).

Build pipeline conversion automates format translation. When SVG sources change, pipelines regenerate all platform formats. This maintains source authority while meeting platform requirements.

Documentation should specify source and distribution formats. Designers need to know what format to create. Developers need to know what format they receive. Clear documentation prevents confusion.

Asset packages should include all required formats. Rather than expecting consumers to convert, design systems should provide ready-to-use assets in each platform’s preferred format.

Summary

SVG and PNG serve different roles in mobile design systems. SVG suits icons and simple graphics needing scalability and color flexibility. PNG suits photographs and complex imagery. Platform support varies, with different vector formats preferred by iOS, Android, and web. Design systems should provide assets in platform-appropriate formats while potentially maintaining unified vector sources.