What is the difference of raster and vector graphics?

Raster graphics, also called bitmap graphics, are digital images that are composed of tiny rectangular pixels, or
picture elements, that are arranged in a grid or raster of x and y coordinates (includes a z coordinate in case of 3D)
in such a way that it forms an image. It is also referred to as bitmap since it has information that is mapped directly
to the display’s grid.

The file size of a raster image depends also on the size of the image, which is determined by the number of pixels
being used in the image. This means that an image with a 1280x720 resolution will contain 921,600 pixels while a
full HD 1920x1080 image will have 2,073,600 pixels, which will obviously give it a bigger file size when compared to
the former.

The word raster was borrowed from the term 'raster scan,' which was how old CRT monitors displayed images, by
magnetically steering a concentrated electron beam line by line to form an image.

The main disadvantage of raster graphics is that it is dependent on resolution. It can be scaled down with no
changes in quality, but when the resolution is scaled up, quality loss is unavoidable. The image will look blocky and
pixelated. Vector graphics, on the other hand, is able to scale up to any resolution because of it uses geometry and
mathematical equations to define images rather than directly mapping pixels in a grid. Vector graphics are better
suited for typesetting and graphic design.

Since raster graphics store much information, they require large file sizes and they can be a bit of a hassle to work
with. Fortunately, there are already image compression techniques and algorithms that have been made to
address that problem. BMP, TIFF, GIF and JPEG are some of the raster image file formats available.

Unlike JPEGs, GIFs, and BMP images, vector graphics are not made up of a grid of pixels. Instead, vector graphics
are comprised of paths, which are defined by a start and end point, along with other points, curves, and angles
along the way. A path can be a line, a square, a triangle, or a curvy shape. These paths can be used to create simple
drawings or complex diagrams. Paths are even used to define the characters of specific typefaces.

Because vector-based images are not made up of a specific number of dots, they can be scaled to a larger size and
not lose any image quality. If you blow up a raster graphic, it will look blocky, or "pixelated." When you blow up a
vector graphic, the edges of each object within the graphic stay smooth and clean. This makes vector graphics ideal
for logos, which can be small enough to appear on a business card, but can also be scaled to fill a billboard.
Common types of vector graphics include Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand, and EPS files. Many Flash
animations also use vector graphics, since they scale better and typically take up less space than bitmap images.

File extensions: .AI, .EPS, .SVG, .DRW

Vector graphic
Updated: 04/01/2018 by Computer Hope
In computer graphics, a vector graphic or vector imageis an image made
up paths (lines with a starting and ending points). These paths, all based
on mathematical expressions, consist of basic geometric shapes, such as
lines, polygons, and curves. The key advantage of using vector graphics as
opposed to raster images is their ability to scale without compromising
image quality. For example, you could use a vector graphic to help make
a banner or sign. The image can be small on your computer but scaled to
the size required without any jaggies or other image distortions.

What file formats are vector graphics?

There are a number of different file formats (file extensions) that can be

used to create a vector graphic. The most common vector file types

include .ai, .eps, .pdf, and .svg. One of the most popular programs used

to view and create vector images is Adobe Illustrator.

Why do printing companies require vector image?

There are many reasons why most printing companies need a vector

image. As mentioned earlier, the ability to resize the image to any size

without any loss of quality or distortion is one of the biggest reasons

most companies require a vector image. Another reason is the ability to

outline all elements of the image, which allows the printer to give the

appearance of any font, even if a font is not available for the printer.