How can you make your images look good on any screen?

1 Choose the right format

Not all image formats are created equal. Depending on the type of image, the content, and the purpose, you might want to use different formats to optimize the quality, file size, and compatibility of your images. For example, JPEG is a good choice for photos and realistic images, as it offers a high compression ratio and a wide range of colors. PNG is better for logos, icons, and graphics, as it supports transparency and lossless compression. WEBP is a newer format that combines the best of both JPEG and PNG, but it's not supported by all browsers. SVG is a vector format that can scale without losing quality, but it's not suitable for complex or detailed images.

3 Use semantic and accessible markup

Another important aspect of working with images is using semantic and accessible markup to describe your images and their role in your web page. This helps search engines, screen readers, and other tools to understand and process your images correctly. You should always use the alt attribute to provide a meaningful and concise text alternative for your images, especially if they convey information or functionality. You should also use the title attribute to provide additional information or context for your images, such as captions or tooltips. You should also use the appropriate HTML5 elements, such as figure and figcaption , to wrap your images and their captions in a semantic way.

4 Apply CSS techniques for responsiveness and style

CSS can help you make your images more responsive and stylish, by using properties and techniques such as width , height , max-width , max-height , object-fit , object-position , background-image , background-size , background-position , filter , transform , and more. For example, you can use width: 100% and height: auto to make your images fill their container while maintaining their aspect ratio. You can use object-fit: cover and object-position: center to crop your images to fit their container without stretching or distorting them. You can use background-image and background-size: cover to create full-screen backgrounds that scale with the viewport. You can use filter: grayscale(50%) or transform: rotate(90deg) to apply some effects to your images.

5 Use JavaScript libraries for interactivity and enhancement

JavaScript can add some interactivity and enhancement to your images, by using libraries and plugins that offer features such as lazy loading, lightbox, carousel, zoom, parallax, animation, and more. For example, you can use LazyLoad to load your images only when they are in the viewport, saving bandwidth and improving performance. You can use Lightbox to display your images in a modal window with navigation and captions. You can use Slick to create a responsive and customizable slider for your images. You can use Zoom to enable users to zoom in on your images on hover or click. You can use Parallax.js to create a parallax effect for your images as you scroll.

By following these HTML5 best practices for working with images, you can make your images look good on any screen, and enhance your web page's design, usability, and performance.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?