JPEG XL Vs AVIF: Which is Better?

In general, AVIF is the best choice if your main objective is to get the maximum compression while maintaining outstanding image quality. On the other hand, JPEG XL is a flexible option if you require a format that delivers a well-rounded solution, accommodating both lossless and lossy compression, and catering to a wide range of applications.

Do check the below-given links if you wish to learn more about formats and comparisons:

  1. AVI vs MP4
  2. Is JPEG XL worse than AVIF?
  3. JPEG vs HEIF
  4. Mp3 vs Mp4

Gumlet became the first cloud provider to provide automatic support for the JPEG XL format.

Here’s a detailed comparison between these two formats:

1. Efficiency of Compression

JPEG XL

JPEG XL uses a flexible and effective compression method for larger ratios without sacrificing image quality. It can be used for a variety of applications because it supports both lossless and lossy compression.

AVIF

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a video codec that was derived from AV1 and is renowned for its remarkable compression performance, particularly in high-quality and lossless modes. When compared to JPEG XL, AVIF frequently produces lesser file sizes for some types of photos.

2. Image Quality

JPEG XL

Created to produce high-quality photos with a minimum amount of artifacts, even at harsh compression levels, JPEG XL makes use of cutting-edge technologies like Variable Quantization to adaptively allocate bits to various areas of the image in order to preserve important information.

AVIF

AVIF excels at keeping image quality, especially in lossless and high-quality settings. When compared to more traditional formats like JPEG, it benefits from the superior compression methods of the AV1 video codec, producing images with fewer compression artifacts.

3. Supported Browsers

JPEG XL

JPEG XL support in browsers was minimal but steadily growing as of my most recent update in September 2021. There were third-party libraries available to improve compatibility, and some browsers, like Chrome, offered experimental support.

AVIF

In 2021, AVIF encountered similar difficulties with browser support but was progressing. It’s vital to check the most recent browser compatibility for both formats as of 2023 because both were relatively new.

4. Flexibility and features

JPEG XL

JPEG XL offers a number of characteristics, such as lossless compression, visibility (alpha channels), animation, and progressive rendering. It is suitable for a variety of image kinds because of its adaptability.

AVIF

AVIF also enables animation, transparency, and lossless compression. Its compatibility with the AV1 video codec and several of its capabilities make it an excellent choice for high-quality and high-resolution photos.

5. Speed of Encoding and Decoding

JPEG XL

Depending on the individual implementation, JPEG XL encoding and decoding times can vary. In general, it offers enough performance for the majority of use scenarios.

AVIF

In particular for high-quality and lossless versions, AVIF encoding and decoding can be computationally demanding. However, software and hardware optimizations keep becoming better over time.

In conclusion, which format is better depends upon your needs and requirements. As we discussed above, JPEG XL is a good choice if you place a focus on adaptability and finding a satisfying balance between compression effectiveness and image quality. On the other hand, AVIF might be a better option if your main requirement is for the best compression efficiency, particularly for top-quality photographs.

You can read more about this topic here: How did Gumlet become the first cloud service provider?

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Thanks for this article!

I have one query like, What JPEG XL and AVIF image encoding and decoding hardware and software alternatives are available?

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Hi Reena!

Yes, you can choose from a variety of hardware and software choices for encoding and decoding JPEG XL and AVIF images. Different technologies and tools have been created expressly to manage these formats successfully.
It’s important to note that depending on the software or hardware you select, the speed of encoding and decoding can change. It is therefore advisable to investigate a range of options to choose the one that most closely matches your needs.

Here is the list of tools that you may use:

JPEG XL

  1. libjxl: The JPEG XL reference software library provides encoding and decoding features. It acts as a basic tool for utilizing this format.
  2. GIMP: The widely-used open-source image editing program GIMP now supports JPEG XL, allowing users to edit and save images in this format.
  3. ImageMagick: JPEG XL support has been added to ImageMagick, a flexible image processing program, that allows users to conduct a variety of operations, such as conversion and editing.

AVIF

  1. Libavif: It is the reference software library for AVIF, much like libjxl is for JPEG XL. It offers the resources required to encode and decode AVIF images.
  2. FFmpeg: AVIF is supported by FFmpeg, a powerful multimedia framework. To work with AVIF files, several multimedia and image-processing apps use FFmpeg.
  3. Image editing software: In its more recent iterations, certain well-known image editing programs, like Adobe Photoshop and GIMP, have included support for AVIF.

I hope your query is resolved now, do let me know if you have further questions.

Thankyou

1 Like

Great!
One more question is, are JPEG XL and AVIF encoding and decoding speeds different from one another?

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Yes, JPEG XL and AVIF can encode and decode at different speeds, but this relies on several parameters.

1. Software Implementation

Depending on which particular software or libraries are used, the speed of encoding and decoding for both formats can vary dramatically. These processes may be prioritized and optimized in various ways by various software implementations, resulting in variances in speed.

2. Hardware

The hardware being used can also affect how quickly your data is encoded and decoded. Also, the speed of operations may be impacted by specific processors or graphics cards having dedicated hardware acceleration for one format but not the other.

3. Image Complexity

The speed of encoding and decoding can be impacted by how complex your image is being processed. For both formats, images with more complex details or higher resolutions could take longer.

I hope now, your queries are resolved. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hello,

I might disagree with your conclusions.
For high quality photography, jpegxl outperform avif and does it with a faster encoding.


One may also prefer jpegxl for its ability to losslessly convert from jpeg and png while shaving 20~30% on average.

The only remaining drawback of the format is its lack of support by browsers based on the Google engine blink (ie. edge, chrome, brave, opera, etc.)