File Formats

Plain-English explainers for the file formats you run into every day: what they are, why they exist, which one to pick, and how to convert between them.

Pixel art of an owl at a fork in a forest path, with a PNG sign showing a transparent owl on the left and a JPG sign showing a landscape photo on the right

FormatsOctober 14, 20265 min

PNG vs JPG: What's Actually the Difference?

PNG vs JPG explained: lossless vs lossy, transparency, file size, and a simple rule for when to use PNG and when JPG is the better pick.

Pixel art owl standing between a CSV spreadsheet file and a JSON code file under a night sky, weighing which one to pick

FormatsSeptember 2, 20265 min

CSV vs JSON: Which Should You Use and Why?

A plain-English comparison of CSV and JSON: structure, readability, and when each format is actually the right choice for your data.

Pixel-art owl comparing a traced SVG owl full of anchor points at 420 KB with a PNG owl at 86 KB

FormatsAugust 27, 20264 min

Why Your Traced SVG Is Bigger Than the PNG

Tracing does not un-rasterize an image. Here is what it actually does, why photos come out ten times larger, and when it genuinely works.

Pixel art owl by a campfire comparing an MKV file's high quality and multiple codecs against an MP4 file's wide compatibility and smaller size

FormatsAugust 15, 20266 min

Which Video Format Has Better Quality?

MP4, MOV, WebM, and MKV compared on actual visual quality: codec, bitrate, and resolution, not just compatibility. Here's what really matters.

Illustrated owl in a purple hoodie pointing at an SVG file icon with an arrow converting into PNG, JPG, PDF, and WebP file icons

FormatsAugust 9, 20265 min

What Is an SVG File and How Do You Convert It?

SVG is a scalable vector image built from code, not pixels, which is why logos and icons use it. Here's how it works and how to convert one to PNG.

Pixel art owl holding an MKV file case, surrounded by confused-looking phones, tablets, laptops, and a TV showing an unsupported format error

FormatsAugust 7, 20265 min

Why Can't Some Devices Play MKV Files?

MKV files fail to play on phones, TVs, and some apps because of the container, not the video. Here's why, and how to fix it in seconds.

Pixel art owl comparing a WebP image file to a stack of larger JPG and PNG files

FormatsAugust 3, 20265 min

What Is a WebP File? Format Explained

WebP is Google's image format built for the web: smaller files than JPG or PNG, transparency, even animation. Here's how it works and how to open it.

Pixel art side-by-side comparison of a HEIC file icon and a JPG file icon on a scale

FormatsJuly 31, 20265 min

HEIC vs JPG: Which Format Should You Use?

HEIC and JPG compared on quality, file size, and compatibility, so you know when to keep HEIC and when to convert to JPG.

Pixel art scene of an iPhone recording a video that gets labeled as a MOV file

FormatsJuly 30, 20265 min

Why Are iPhone Videos MOV Files?

iPhones record video as MOV because of Apple's QuickTime format. Here's why, what it means for compatibility, and how to fix it in seconds.

Pixel art scene comparing MP4, MOV, WebM, and MKV video file icons side by side

FormatsJuly 28, 20266 min

Which Video Format Is Best? MP4 vs MOV vs WebM vs MKV

MP4, MOV, WebM, and MKV compared for compatibility, file size, and quality, with a clear answer for which one to actually use.

Pixel art scene comparing MP3, FLAC, and WAV audio formats side by side

FormatsJuly 21, 20266 min

Best Audio Format for Music: MP3 vs FLAC vs WAV

MP3, FLAC, and WAV compared for music: file size, sound quality, and which one to actually use for listening, archiving, or editing.