JPEG XL
open-source raster-graphics file format
The JPEG XL Image Coding System (JPEG XL, sometimes shortened to JXL) is an image format that supports both lossy and lossless compression. It was developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), Google and Cloudinary. It is a free and open standard defined by ISO/IEC 18181. The standard consists of four parts that cover the Core coding system, File format, Conformance testing, and Reference software, respectively.
JPEG XL features a lossy compression mode called VarDCT built on block-based transform coding, which is similar to — but significantly improves and expands upon — the compression method of JPEG, and a modular mode that allows different features of the format to be combined in a "modular" way. Modular mode can be used either for lossless image compression, similar to PNG, or as a means to achieve lossy compression in a different way from VarDCT.
The name refers to the design committee (JPEG), the X designates the series of its image coding standards published since 2000 (JPEG XT/XR/XS), and L stands for "long-term", highlighting the intent to create a future-proof, long-lived format to succeed JPEG/JFIF.
Positioning
JPEG XL was designed to become a universal replacement for all established raster formats for the Web.
To reach widespread adoption (unlike previous attempts, including several JPEG standards), the designers hope for beneficial network effects by offering the single best option for as many popular use cases as possible.
To that end, the format offers significant improvements over all other (established) options with a comprehensive set of useful properties, geared especially towards accessibility over the Web and a smooth upgrade path, in combination with uncompromisingly powerful, yet efficiently computable compression and efficient data representation. Following a study about the most popular JPEG quality on the Web, developers paid special attention to the range with negligible or no perceived loss, and the default settings were adjusted accordingly. Several serious attempts at replacing JPEG that provided poor support for the high end of the quality range have failed.
“JPEG XL” enters the record as open-source raster-graphics file format. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what JPEG, open-source and raster-graphics can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q72885392. 4 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 4 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2000.
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This entry incorporates text from “JPEG XL” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.