Best Format Guides
Use these decision pages to pick the right format for real workflows: web performance, APIs, logs, configuration, and media delivery.
Best Image Format for Web Performance
Use WebP by default for web image delivery with JPEG/PNG fallbacks.
Best Audio Format for Streaming
AAC is typically the default for streaming quality and compatibility.
Best Video Format for Browser Playback
MP4 is usually the safest default for broad browser playback.
Best Document Format for Final Sharing
PDF is the best default for finalized, layout-stable document distribution.
Best Data Format for APIs
JSON remains the default for most APIs, with Proto for strongly typed high-throughput services.
Best Config Format for Application Settings
TOML is a strong default for structured app config; ENV works best for runtime overrides.
Best Log Format for Observability
Structured JSON logs are best for indexing and analytics, while access log text remains operationally useful.
Best Subtitle Format for Web Video
VTT is generally best for browser video delivery, with SRT as a compatibility fallback.
Best Font Format for Web Delivery
WOFF2 is the preferred default for modern web font delivery.
Best Archive Format for Linux Distribution
TAR-based bundles are typically best for Linux-first distribution workflows.
Best Image Format for Print Workflows
TIFF is generally the strongest default for print-centric imaging workflows.
Best Tabular Data Format for Analytics
CSV remains the default for analytics ingest, with TSV/JSON as situational alternatives.
Best eBook Format for Digital Reading
EPUB is the strongest default for reflowable digital reading experiences.
How to Use These Pages
Start with your compatibility constraints, then use each guide's decision factors to choose a default and fallback format.
Every recommendation links directly to sample files, manifests, and comparison pages for validation.