In computer graphics, graphics software or image editing software is a program or collection of programs that enable a person to manipulate visual images on a computer.

A screenshot from the vector graphics editor Adobe Illustrator

A screenshot of the raster graphics editor Adobe Photoshop

Computer graphics can be classified into two distinct categories: raster graphics and vector graphics. Before learning about computer software that manipulates or displays these graphics types, you should be familiar with both.

Many graphics programs focus exclusively on either vector or raster graphics, but there are a few that combine them in interesting and sometimes unexpected ways. It is simple to convert from vector graphics to raster graphics, but going the other way is harder. Some software attempts to do this.

Most graphics programs have the ability to import and export one or more graphics file formats.

Several graphics programs support animation, or digital video. Vector graphics animation can be described as a series of mathematical transformations that are applied in sequence to one or more shapes in a scene. Raster graphics animation works in a similar fashion to film-based animation, where a series of still images produces the illusion of continuous movement.

See also

• Raster graphics editor
• Comparison of raster graphics editors
• Vector graphics editor
• List of vector graphics editors
• Comparison of vector graphics editors
• Graphic art software
• Image conversion

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