Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, W3C/ISO/IEC version

This is the joint W3C and ISO/IEC version of the specification for the Portable Network Graphics image format, released on 10 November 2003. It is currently the most up-to-date version and represents a significant editorial rewrite of the PNG spec, albeit one with virtually no technical changes from version 1.2 (only minor clarifications). Note, however, that it is currently available only in single-page HTML format, and it omits the very useful Gamma and Color tutorials present in the older release. As a result, readers and implementors are encouraged to read through the previous version, too.

The W3C Recommendation, known as the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification (Second Edition), was released on 10 November 2003 and is available from the links below. The ISO/IEC version, known as International Standard 15948:2003 -- Portable Network Graphics (PNG): Functional specification and identical to the W3C's copy aside from organizational boilerplate, finally showed up on 3 March 2004 and can be ordered as an 80-page electronic document from ISO (either on CD-ROM or in downloadable PDF format).

PNG specification, Joint ISO/IEC International Standard and W3C Recommendation

HTML format, single page:

US (California) or local mirror site (also no-OBJECT version)

US (Massachusetts) (also no-OBJECT version)

Here are some related PNG pages at this site:

• Introduction to PNG features
• Current Status of PNG
• History of PNG
• News (and more history) of the PNG Development Group
• Related Specifications and Documentation:
  • PNG Specification
  • PNG Technical Documentation
  • zlib Technical Documentation
  • MNG Technical Documentation
• PNG: The Definitive Guide and Related Books
• PNG-supporting Applications
• PNG Programming Information:
  • PNG-supporting Libraries and Toolkits
    • libpng home page
    • zlib home page
  • PNG Source Code

• PNG Home Page
• Complete PNG Site Map

Copyright © 1996-2015 Greg Roelofs.