Why was PNG created?
In December 1994, Unisys and CompuServe announced that they would enforce a patent covering the LZW compression algorithm that GIF relied on. Overnight, the format that had powered web graphics was no longer free to use, and developers worried about royalties and legal risk. The community needed a free, unpatented alternative — fast — and that need is exactly what prompted the creation of PNG in early 1995.
Who created PNG and how fast?
A group of developers led by Thomas Boutell designed PNG remarkably quickly, collaborating on internet mailing lists rather than in a corporate lab. The format took shape over just weeks of open discussion in 1995. The name stands for Portable Network Graphics, but an early in-joke gave it the recursive backronym "PNG's Not GIF" — a nod to its origin as a deliberate replacement.
How did PNG improve on GIF?
Instead of patented LZW, PNG used the patent-free DEFLATE algorithm for compression, which sidestepped the legal problem entirely. It also went well beyond GIF technically: GIF was limited to 256 colours, while PNG added full truecolour support and an 8-bit alpha channel for smooth, variable transparency. To learn more about the format itself, see what is a PNG, or compare the two directly in PNG vs GIF.
When did PNG become a standard?
PNG moved from idea to recognised standard quickly. Version 1.0 became a W3C Recommendation in October 1996, giving the format official backing for the web. PNG was later standardised internationally as ISO/IEC 15948 in 2004, cementing its place as a stable, vendor-neutral format that any software could implement freely.
What is PNG used for today?
PNG went on to become one of the most-used image formats on the web, valued for its lossless quality and clean transparency. Animation arrived later through APNG, an extension introduced by Mozilla that layers animation on top of the original specification while staying backwards compatible. Decades after that 1995 mailing-list scramble, PNG remains a default choice for screenshots, logos, and any image that needs crisp edges or a transparent background.
Frequently asked questions
- Why was PNG invented?
- PNG was created in 1995 after Unisys and CompuServe announced they would enforce a patent on the LZW compression used by GIF. Developers suddenly needed a free, unpatented format, and PNG filled that gap.
- What does PNG stand for?
- PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics. Early on, the designers also enjoyed the recursive backronym joke 'PNG's Not GIF'.
- Who created the PNG format?
- PNG was designed by a group of developers led by Thomas Boutell, working together rapidly on internet mailing lists in early 1995.
- When did PNG become an official standard?
- Version 1.0 became a W3C Recommendation in October 1996, and PNG was later standardised internationally as ISO/IEC 15948 in 2004.