Amy Pearson Amy is a Java developer, member of the support team and product manager for JDeli. Out of hours she enjoys gaming and Virtual reality.

What is TIFF?

1 min read

TIFF icon

TIFF icon

What is TIFF?

TIFF stands for “Tag Image File Format”. It is a complex file format for storing one or more bitmapped images in multiple colourspaces using several different forms of compression. The file name extension for TIFF files is: .tif, .tiff

What are its features?

TIFF files maintain high quality as they employ lossless compression, ensuring that every pixel and detail is preserved. They are also an adaptable file format as they support multiple layers and can be tailored so are popular amongst graphic designers and photographers. Similarly, they not just black and white. The image format supports a spectrum of color depths, including monochrome, grayscale and 24-bit color. TIFF files are compatible with a range of software applications including Adobe Photoshop and GIMP.

What is the format used for?

Tiff has various different uses, one of the most common is for CAD (Computer-Aided Design). Designers and engineers can export CAD drawings to TIFF format and still maintain high image and quality.

TIFF vs PNG: The pros and cons

TIFF and PNG have distinct advantages and disadvantages. It excels in preserving high-resolution images and is suitable for professional photography and graphic design but has larger file sizes. PNG, on the other hand, is more efficient for web use, supports transparency, and is widely compatible but may have limited color depth and does not support multiple layers.

Is it possible to convert TIFF to PNG?

Yes. You can convert TIFF to PNG and PNG to TIFF.

Is it possible to convert TIFF to PDF?

Yes. You will need  to print the TIFF (most printers offer a print as PDF), export as PDF in a graphics package such as Mac Preview or use a third party tool such as our JDeli library. JDeli is the best enterprise-level Java image library for performance and efficiency.

How to open TIFF files in Java?

ImageIO (the built-in Java Image library) includes support for TIFF images.

JDeli is a pure Java library with TIFF support. You convert, read and write TIFF files in Java with JDeli. Have a look at our documentation for JDeli to find out more.



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Amy Pearson Amy is a Java developer, member of the support team and product manager for JDeli. Out of hours she enjoys gaming and Virtual reality.