SVG

The Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a language for describing two-dimensional vector graphics in XML.

SVG became a W3C Recommendation in September 2001, so one can expect that SVG will be natively supported in the next generations of all major web browsers. Currently, a plugin is needed to see SVG images.

From the W3C [Overview of SVG]:

SVG allows for three types of graphic objects: vector graphic shapes (e.g., paths consisting of straight lines and curves), images and text. Graphical objects can be grouped, styled, transformed and composited into previously rendered objects. Text can be in any XML namespace suitable to the application, which enhances searchability and accessibility of the SVG graphics. The feature set includes nested transformations, clipping paths, alpha masks, filter effects, template objects and extensibility.

SVG drawings can be dynamic and interactive. The Document Object Model (DOM) for SVG, which includes the full XML DOM, allows for straightforward and efficient vector graphics animation via scripting. A rich set of event handlers such as onmouseover and onclick can be assigned to any SVG graphical object. Because of its compatibility and leveraging of other Web standards, features like scripting can be done on SVG elements and other XML elements from different namespaces simultaneously within the same Web page.

SVG rivals [Macromedia Flash]? in terms of potential and power, and is an open standard.

External link:

• [W3C Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)]