Which format is designed to preserve transparency of an image?

The PNG format is specifically designed to support transparency in images, making it a popular choice for web graphics and design elements where a background must be transparent. This capability allows for soft edges, shadowing effects, and the seamless integration of images onto varying backgrounds without any visible boxes or borders that would be present in formats lacking transparency support.

Unlike formats such as JPEG, which does not support any transparency and uses lossy compression that can compromise image quality, PNG utilizes lossless compression. This means it retains all the image data without any loss in quality, making it ideal for graphics that require transparency. GIF also supports transparency but is limited to a single color as transparent and has a restricted color palette, limiting its use for detailed images or photographs. BMP, on the other hand, is a bitmap format that typically does not support transparency, as it’s primarily used for high-quality images without compression.

Overall, PNG’s ability to maintain transparency alongside its lossless compression makes it the preferred option when working with images that need to blend into various backgrounds.