(related variations: jpeg jpg)

An image format optimized for "natural" images developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, JPEGs are probably second only to GIFs in level of acceptance. JPEGs manage to capture wonderfully detailed images in millions of colors in minimal space by taking advantage of limitations with human vision, and performing little lossy compressions. This means that each time a JPEG is saved, it will lose a little more quality, although each individual loss will be nearly invisible to the human eye. If care is not taken, however, a JPEG image can become worse looking than a color-limited GIF. JPEGs are also not good at storing cartoon-like images or line drawings; for these cases either GIFs or PNGs or X-bitmaps are better choices. JPEGs also cannot contain a transparent color. If a transparent color is needed, GIFs, PNGs, and X-bitmaps are better choices. JPEG has nothing to do with either JBIG or MPEG in spite of the similarity of names.