What is difference between png8 and png24

Question

I want to know about uses of png files. There are two formats available for png images; one is png8 and the another one is png24.

Answer 1

From the Web Designer’s Guide to PNG Image Format

PNG-8 and PNG-24

There are two PNG formats: PNG-8 and PNG-24. The numbers are shorthand for saying "8-bit PNG" or "24-bit PNG." Not to get too much into technicalities — because as a web designer, you probably don’t care — 8-bit PNGs mean that the image is 8 bits per pixel, while 24-bit PNGs mean 24 bits per pixel.

To sum up the difference in plain English: Let’s just say PNG-24 can handle a lot more color and is good for complex images with lots of color such as photographs (just like JPEG), while PNG-8 is more optimized for things with simple colors, such as logos and user interface elements like icons and buttons.

Another difference is that PNG-24 natively supports alpha transparency, which is good for transparent backgrounds. This difference is not 100% true because Adobe products’ Save for Web command allows PNG-8 with alpha transparency.