Inkscape: a sweet SVG app -- and it's free

Tools that generate 2-dimensional digital art are divided into 2 main types--

• raster (often called bitmap), which is pixel-based and not easily resizable, and
• vector, which can be easily and smoothly resized.

Examples of apps that will generate raster files are Adobe Photoshop (.psd) and Corel Photo-Paint (.cpt); vector applications are CorelDraw (.cdr) and Adobe Illustrator (.ai). All of these are proprietary and must be purchased for full use.

Inkscape is an open source vector program that produces files in Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg) format.  The SVG format has been named the standard for vector graphics in HTML5.  And, because vector files can be resized, it's the most logical format to use for developing mobile content.  Raster files can also be used for mobile content, but extra steps are required to render them at a size appropriate for the device.

Not all browsers are fully HTML5 capable.  Here is a breakdown of what browsers can handle HTML5 and inline SVG.  Note that the usage is 65.79% as of that writing.  Here's a more detailed breakdown of browser usage from Sitepoint.

But back to Inkscape.  As said before it's open source; you can download it here.  By the way, the documentation is very good.  And here are some videos to get you started:

Bitmap to vector

Shiny button

 

If you find Inkscape useful, please remember to donate.  And while you're in the pass-it-on mood, please remember Wikipedia, as well (where would we be without it?).

--Marge