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Image Optimization: Lossless vs. Lossy Compression

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When creating a website, it is very important to divide your site’s real estate wisely. Sometimes, single images can take up most of the bytes on your site, which can hinder the performance of your site. In order to ensure that you are not wasting byte space on a few images, it is wise to optimize these images.

There are many different ways to compress images, but one of the most important factors to consider when compressing an image is whether you want to use ‘lossy’ compression, ‘lossless’ compression, or both.

Lossy compression is the process of using algorithms in order to eliminate unnecessary information. This type of compression does not work for data in which each line is crucial, such as in code, but because of the way our brains process images, it is often completely fine to get rid of some information from image pixels.

Lossless compression, on the other hand, is the process of using algorithms in order to compress certain information within data. This is a good alternative to completely getting rid of this information, although it does not clear up as many bytes.

It is important to figure out the perfect balance between lossy and lossless compression when adding images to your site. With a little trial and error, you’ll be able to have both great visuals and functionality.