Special Edition Using XML, Second Edition

Vector Graphics Overview

Vector graphics, whether based on proprietary or open standards, describe shapes in terms of drawing instructions. When a vector image is scaled up or down, the shapes can be redrawn and allow the quality of an image to be maintained in a way that is impossible with pixel-based bitmap graphics, without returning to the server to download a different copy of the graphic.

The facility for vector images to be re-drawn on the client side allows for functionality such as animations, and allows for interactivity with responsiveness to the user far better than if it were necessary to return to the server to download a new image. SVG has a Document Object Model (DOM) based on the W3C DOM, but extended to accommodate specific ...